If weak consumer confidence gives Mitt Romney any advantage, Mitt Romney's own candid words, paired with the regular Americans he's insulting, may more than counteract it:
A stronger Republican would be running entirely against Barack Obama. Mitt Romney is sandbagged by having to run against himself.
Mr. Romney's words will haunt him through the rest of what's left of this election and beyond...
As a leader, it is his job to "convince" and "encourage" people to do better and work to ensure they have the means and opportunity to do so in this nation. What Mitt Romney is unknowingly admitting in this speech about the 47% he claims "he doesn't worry about," is that he is NOT up to the job of being a true leader for all Americans because he admits he can't "convince" them. Ironically, while he writes them off, Mitt Romney also writes himself off from the Presidency.
I would love to know who gave this to the Carter grandson and their motives. Did Romney know people might be taping him? He said his phrasing was indelicate, but was this his standard speech for the inner circle?
John, much of the coverage of that fundraiser video talks about how the video gets its power from sounding so frankly authentic. It's the real Romney. It's his real view of America. It seems to be how they talk when they think we aren't listening.
And the more I hear you guys and others discuss it, the more I realize just how wrong Romney's comments are for a President of the United States. He really is dismissing almost half the country as victims, as personally irresponsible. I get hyperbolic sometimes, and I get mad at conservatives, but if you sit me down with my inner circle (wait, do I have an inner circle), I'll tell you that the vast majority of Americans want to do their work, earn their pay and their leisure, and do the right thing for their families and communities. They may have wrong ideas, but they aren't unAmerican. They aren't people I dismiss from my calculations of the good of the country. And I'm not running to be their boss.
I just read and saw pictures of the Governor, our main Senator, and our only Representative going to your town Mr. H to give a hero's welcome to a bunch of heros. Were you able to take in this wonderful event? The pictures of young men holding their families close brought a tear to these dry old eyes.
A guy can only do so much in one day, Grudz. But you can be assured that similar men and women charged with doing our nation's work overseas will labor under stronger, more sensible leadership under President Barack Obama than they would under foreign-policy zeroes Romney and Ryan.
Romney needs to be more aggressive and fight for what he believes. He shouldn't back down from the media or the left. This statement didn't help him but it isn't the most important issue in the 2012 elections. The middle east, economy, jobs, spending are all much more important and Obama is wrong on all of them.
The media is in the tank for Obama.
Good morning Grud...I bet the Governor, our main Senator and our only (part time) Representative were livid about this:
http://www.examiner.com/article/gop-blocks-cola-on-benefits-for-disabled-veterans-and-survivors
That should win some votes with vets and their families.
I'm afraid what Romney said Mike is relavent. It shows he doesn't have a clue and he doesn't care about the lower 47%.
I agree that the middle east, the economy and jobs are very important. But how is Romney going to fix all this. He talks in general terms and never gives specifics. When asked all he says is to trust him. After he's elected he'll let us know. That is crap.
Heck he never talked about our troops in his speech at the Republican convention
You might disagree with Obama but at least you know what he has done and what he's going to do.
He's wrong? How about 30 months of job growth. The stock market has doubled since he took office. The housing maket is improving. We are out of Iraq and will be out of Afganistan soon. 40 million more people have health insurance that didn't have it before.
What Romney wants to do is take us back to Bush's policies that DIDN'T work and have led us to this mess.
And Obama has done this with no help from the Republicans. Where you had the Senate Minority leader saying is only goal is to make Obama a one term President. Is that what you want Mike?
Oh yes, lets put the blame on the "liberal media". Does Fox News fall into the liberal media.
No we don't need Romney. We need Obama and the Democrats to take over the House.
So, mike, you believe tax cuts will fix the economy. Good luck with that.
I voted yesterday and thought long and hard. In the last year I have watched Romney and with all the derogatory comments he has made about the 99%, the dinner speech was nothing new, he just acually said what he thinks straight out. It was sickening.
To me, this election is not just about the economy, deficit and social issues; it is far larger than that. This is about each vote casted defines what “we the people†means.
We the people need to decide if we want big business, special interest groups and the billionaires who make their money on the backs of we the people’s labor to run our country. We need to decide if we want Karl Rove, Grover Norquist and a large group of wealthy lords run the country on the backs of our labor.
We the people need to decide if we want a civilization, which will protect and promote the well-being of all of its citizens, and not just a few who hold the gold. Our country has changed and with our mobility and diversity have we have lost our safety nets of small community and family. There is no going back to those mytholical good ol’ days the GOP seems to hold on to.
Do we want to allow those who are greedy for wealth and power run the country? There are many of "we the People" who believe government should be the exact opposite of what the GOP is promoting. We want to create a climate where all people have a fair chance and are treated with respect.
What would really fix our economy not only here in South Dakota, but America as a whole? I know the answer. First, re-elect President Obama and then elect real Democrats to serve us, the people. We need to dump Ms. NOem and do that pronto. How can anyone support a representative that voted 3 times with Ryan to kill Medicare and to eliminate services for veterans? Those across the board cuts go to every corner and Kristi NOem should be ashamed of herself for supporting Ryan on this. But alas, she has no shame, so we must parent her and politely show her the door and then allow the screen door to do its job.
One more thing, this state government has got to come into current thinking. We are a state that thinks like it did when Wild Bill roamed the streets of Deadwood. Get an income tax and start thinking like business folks, by building our markets. Why sell our treasures for some trinkets?
"a civilization which will protect and promote the well-being of all of its citizens"—Gayle, that says it all and says it well. Civilization doesn't work by letting a few amass most of the wealth and power and hoping they then bless us with jobs and largesse. We work together to actively promote everyone's common welfare.
Jerry, your mention of parenting strikes my chords. Noem, Romney, Ryan, the whole GOP crew are peddling the childish fantasy that letting people do whatever they want will make everything work out fine. That doesn't work with kids; it won't work with the rich. Parenting means moving beyond our selfish desires and doing what we must for others. Noem, Romney, and Ryan lack that sense of others.