Woman Who Got Cash From Romney to Attend Rally

Sarah B. Boxer, traveling with the Romney campaign, reports:

ROCK HILL, S.C.--The unemployed woman who got a handful of cash from Mitt Romney said today she plan to attend his campaign rally tonight--as Romney for the first time appeared to refer to her in a speech as an example of the pain caused by unemployment.

At a rally this morning in Spartanburg, Romney said the stories of those who are jobless "just breaks your heart."

"I spoke with a woman the other day who, with tears running down her face said, 'Can you find me a job? I'm looking for a job,'" Romney said. "9.9 percent unemployment in South Carolina. It just breaks your heart to see what's happening across the country."

Romney did not mention the woman, Ruth Williams, by name. The campaign initially said he was referring to her, but later said he was talking about someone else.

The campaign has not said that Williams will officially be a part of any campaign related events. She told CBS News she is just going to hang signs beforehand and express her support for Romney this evening.

Williams, who is 55, said today that she's still looking for work, but continues to volunteer at Romney's South Carolina campaign headquarters.

She said she has been cleaning around the office and cooking for staffers since last week - and even made them a batch of spaghetti this afternoon.

"People wonder why people do things for free," Williams said, "but his staff is so kind."

Romney handed Williams the cash--about $50 or $60--after he spotted her at after a rally in Sumter.

Williams had met Romney days before, after she saw his campaign bus at a stop sign in the Columbia area.

"I was on the highway praying and said God tell me how to get [my house] lights on, and I pulled up to a stop sign and his bus was there," she said.

She followed the bus to the airport, where Romney was arriving from Manchester, N.H. She told staffers that she had been unemployed since October and was hoping to meet Romney.

The staffers directed Williams to a rally later that evening, and Romney ended up meeting her after the event. She told him her story as she fought back tears.

Williams said Romney told her to reach out to local officials for help. She said he also asked if she was living in a homeless shelter. Williams responded that she wasn't yet, but might need to.

"We need work," she said. "We need a president that will give us work."

[JESSEJJJ]

This woman probably has little knowledge aboutthe way in which Romney has made all of his money. It hasn't been made by worrying or helping the average working American. Romney, along with the majority of republicans, have looked for ways in wich they can help the wealthiest people in the country. Try and look at what they have done and it is not hard to realize how little they have done for us. Most republicans get everyone worked up with religious ideas and issues that can distract people from looking at what they really need in a President. There may not be any easy answers, but we better be looking for someone who does care about all Americans and not just the wealthy ones. If Romney runs our country like he has his business interests, it will be bad for most of us! I am not saying he is a bad person, but you need to realize what his mentality is like. For him, it is business. How does he gain the most profit. I truly believe that it would be a big mistake to elect him. Ask yourselves what the GOP has done for us! Nothing! People complain about President Obama, but I believe that he is our only chance of getting things solved. Look at what he has tried to do. He has always said that he will be open to suggestions, but instead, he only gets opposition. We should be looking at health care and medicare and social security. republicans only see one way and that is to cut benefits of the average American. There is no way that Romney is the one to help us do the right thing. No way! Sometimes we do need to stand up for ourselves and people need to take a good long look at the GOP and consider what they stand for. They are not the party of God! There mouths seem to speak a lot about God, but look at what they accomplish and realize that they care little about the common man.

[benunhappy]

Here is a man who found comfort in knowing the corporation that he made or makes millions from acquires companies and disposes of all the employees, those who unknowingly work their fannies off to keep their jobs just to be pink slipped because their employer wasn't smart enough to stand against A JOB KILLING FIRM with profit in it's sights.
I was once a follower of the GOP but realized their intention was to continue to take from the less fortunate so that the wealthy can give more to buy lobbiest and judges so laws can be amended in favor of the GOP with redistricting and more inside trading.They ( GOP ) can't win an election without deceit and bribery and trying to pull the wool over the average citizen. I pray that middle class folks realize like I did that when we have to pay all of our taxes the wealthy elites should too" ALL OF THEIR SHARE " . HEY AMERICA do you have to be told that when the wealthy and corporations get a tax increase ( by just paying what they have been evading for decades) you are not in that category. There once was a time wen corporations in AMERICA hired AMERICANS!,now when I take my car to get fixed or have to talk to a service rep I need to speak INDIAN or some other language because even those Jobs were outsourced. AMERICA needs jobs for sure but to get there we need to first throw out congress and those who say NO to anything that would compromise their wealthy backers pennies.Other than not holding people accountable like MITT and those who made a fortune with the financial meltdown when the middle class lost everything, I think that OBAMA did a darn good job even with the republicans and the fleaparty(those who are taking a ride on the repo-ublicans back) doing their best to say NO or NO COMPROMIZE. "GOP" STOP TAKING OUR FUTURES AWAY, STOP GIVING THE WEALTHY EVERYTHING,STOP THE CLASS WARFARE YOU CREATED AND GIVE OUR NATION BACK ITS DIGNITY!! AMERICA ,WE THE PEOPLE hope it can be done peacefully.GOD BLESS US ALL IF CORPORATE GREED WINS OUT OVER RESPECT. OUR NATION was founded with respect for everyone and being the richest nation our fore fathers agreed to care for the poor and sick and needy,that was before our GOP turned against those less fortunate (rove-enomics).

[JPMcGrath86]

I find the headline on this story troubling. It suggests that Williams was paid to attend the rally, but nothing in the story supports that. Neither do any other stories I have seen indicate that this was the case. Is this a deliberate attempt to mislead, or just an issue of competence?

[MegD12345]

This is truly a pathetic ploy. Lets hand out a wad of cash to an obviously ignorant person in a lame attempt to attract more votes from the 'common man'. Romney is so lost when it comes to normal people. Its a shame the woman is not bright enough to realize this man wants to get rid of pretty much any program a woman her age and socioeconomic actually needs while simultaneously supporting the outsourcing of much needed jobs in the USA because its cheaper outside of the country.