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Romney says comments in video were badly stated but sticks by them

COSTA MESA, Calif., Sept 17 | Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:35pm EDT

COSTA MESA, Calif., Sept 17 (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said on Monday that disparaging remarks he made about supporters of President Barack Obama in a secretly filmed video were not well stated but he did not back away from them.

"It's not elegantly stated. Let me put it that way," Romney said at a hastily arranged news conference in California to respond to his latest stumble on the campaign trail.

In the video Romney was shown telling fundraisers he has no way of attracting support from 47 percent of U.S. voters because they are dependent on government and pay no taxes.

The Obama campaign leaped on the video and declared Romney elitist and out of touch with most Americans, who will vote in a presidential election on Nov. 6.

"I'm sure I could state it more clearly and in a more effective way than I did in a setting like that," Romney said.

However, he did not back away from his comments and said it was a message that he would continue to carry.

"Frankly, my discussion about lowering taxes isn't as attractive to them and therefore I'm not likely to draw them into my campaign as those in the middle," he said.

"This is really more about the political process of winning the election and of course I want to help all Americans have a bright and prosperous future and I'm convinced that the president's approach has not done that and will not do that."
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Comments (11)
thesafesrufer wrote:
The truth will set you free. Thank you candidate Romney for saying what has to be said. We have to address the victim narrative and the insatiable sense of entitlement that pervades our country.

Americans need to look in the mirror and realize that if they are unhappy and not satisfied with their lives living in our great nation with all its freedom and opportunity that the source of their displeasure is staring them right in the fact. Government can’t fix you. Only you can do that.

Sep 17, 2012 10:58pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
featherknife wrote:
My father was a colonel in the U.S. Army, a veteran of WW2 and Korea, and was a life long democrat. I am a Viet Nam era veteran, served in the Navy in an attack squadron. I have worked my butt off all my life. I went back to school in my late 40′s, and received a license as a Registered Nurse because I wanted to be of service to people in need. I am a man of courage, intelligence, commitment to excellence, and pride in my accomplishments. I have been a life long democrat. What you saw on that video was not a crusader for conservative values speaking the truth. What you saw was a millionaire, who never had to worry about money, and sees himself as entitled, speaking to other men in the 1% of society about the rest of us. The mask is off. To those who defend his comments here, or anywhere from now on, you need to know that you are a tool of the uber rich, and all they care about is themselves and each other, not you. All the lies, all the efforts to suppress the vote, all the right wing media millionaires……..this is what they are. So go ahead and vote, it’s a free country. But when you do, you need to understand who it is you are voting for, what part you play in their Machiavellian power play, and what you are doing to this country that some of us put our lives on the line to defend. Now excuse me while I go vomit. .

Sep 17, 2012 11:01pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
bbsnews wrote:
Just show the American people the personal convictions and outstanding principles you have Mittens. Where’s the tax returns? It’s pretty gutsy (and counter-productive and stupid) to claim that all of President Obama’s supporters are no tax paying lagabouts who are on the government dole while you have offshore bank accounts to hide your multiple millions in, and you pay about half the taxes or even less than Warren Buffet’s secretary. No more estimates, no more stalling, release the same amount of tax returns that your daddy did Mittens. Of course you will still have no chance, you stand for nothing but the latest polls and President Obama is one of the strongest and best US Presidents of modern times. Notice there is virtually no talk of his legacy because it is plain for all to see. Biden got it right, The auto industry saved, Bin Laden dead, Al Qaeda practically reduced to nothing more than splinters, health care for millions, a more fair treatment of gays in America, standing up for women, standing up against your bunch who would strip minority voting rights, and labor rights, the Middle class that your folks have destroyed in earnest starting with Reagan. You have no chance. Go home to your car elevators and your wife’s multiple Cadillac’c…

Sep 17, 2012 11:16pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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