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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

First Romney insults 47 percent, then your intelligence

Posted on Monday, October 08, 2012 at 10:07 AM

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GOP candidates Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan

I was 'completely wrong' to say that 47% of the American people are victims and moochers, 'dependent on the government ' Mitt Romney told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday night.

To recap, first Romney admitted he said it, then he defended saying it, then he said that it was completely indefensible.

Take your pick from the Etch-A-Sketch candidate.

'Clearly in a campaign with hundreds if not thousands of speeches and question-and-answer sessions, now and then you're going to say something that doesn't come out right,' Romney reassured a rapidly nodding Hannity. 'In this case, I said something that's just completely wrong.'

At the moment, he might have added. I'll get back to you if the polls change.

A week earlier of course Romney was talking about President Obama like this: 'There are 47% who are with him, who are dependent on government, who believe that, that they are victims, who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them. Who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing.'

Entitled to health care, food and housing. Why the nerve of those poor people. They really ought to be homeless, hungry and destitute and what a lesson that will be for them.

But Romney has bluntly stated - and I think even his supporters still take him at his word - that his 'job is not to worry about those people.'

And I think that may be the most candid statement of his entire political career. He said this at a $50,000 dollar a seat dinner after all, among the kind of people he is himself, and he never thought he would hear himself quoted afterward.

So first he insulted half the nation, then he defended insulting them, and now he's just content to insult their intelligence. That's what progress looks like, Romney style.

Meanwhile the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent in September.

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BrianO | Oct 10, 2012, 10:32 AM EDT

ah hoola, 7.2 really? Even the obama regime figured 7.8 was as far as they could stretch the truth. Having paid for 2 though college i can tell you tuitions are not decreasing, And Government motors still has to repay the taxayers for the billion dollar bandaids or bribe received form the Great one. But go ahead, whistle a happy tune like nothing is wrong. It worked so well in Libya, God bless their souls.

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hollabackgurl | Oct 09, 2012, 08:10 PM EDT

You forgot to add unemployment has dropped to 7.2 percent and General Motors is now thriving. Students can afford to attend college. Obamacare has insured millions for the first time. Dont Ask Don't Tell is history and there is much more good economic news to come.

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McNamara31 | Oct 09, 2012, 06:25 PM EDT

Missdeed "When Mr Obama is going to take responsability for his own Not Actions?" Well...Osama is dead, al-Qaeda is decimated, unemployment is down, the stock market (which backs our 401's, pensions and college savings accounts) has doubled since he took office, his actions saved the American car industry and all the feeder companies, and for the first time people with pre existing medical conditions won't be dropped or denied medical coverage. You're so right Mr. Obama should take responsibility for his actions.

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Missdeed | Oct 09, 2012, 04:43 PM EDT

I really believe that Mr O'Doherty is an other one from the press that you can not believe ...they change the facts or they misleading you ...if is truth what he's saying about Mr Obama..Why the country is so F...d up now, and please don't tell me about Busch, Mr Obama has been in the WH for almost 4 years..When Mr Obama is going to take responsability for his own Not Actions?

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McNamara31 | Oct 09, 2012, 02:58 PM EDT

This November is a critical election for the middle class and all who believe in American principles of fairness and equality for all, medicare for the sick, social security for the seniors, and affordable college loans for the young. Granted, President Obama's performance in the debate was his worst, but we have to focus on his actions while in office, and not totally on one debate. If the GOP regains control this November, you can kiss medicare good bye, and be ready to return to Wall Street's deregulated greed that ruined our 401's, college funds and home values.Also, with the GOP in power it will be very likely America will enter new wars "of choice" with many of our young killed and critically wounded instead of preceding as Obama has with drone activity and controlling Iran's nuclear program with well placed computer "viruses" rather than Netanyahu bombs.Romney has proven time and time again he is a man for all seasons, he will be anyone you want him to be just to be elected. He's in business to sell himself as president and once elected he will deliver every government program like medicare and social security over to the private sector in payment for all the billionaires of corporate America who paid for his election.

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BrianO | Oct 09, 2012, 01:24 PM EDT

olovely, watch the video above seems a reasonable explanation. Mr Romney sates he wants to make life better for 100% of Americans, as in all Americans, a little different approach than the class warfare of obama setting one group of Americans against another.

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olovely | Oct 09, 2012, 01:01 PM EDT

macstwo, have you read somewhere that Romney DIDN'T say that "47% of the people are dependents and vitims' and that "my job is not to worry about those people." Do you deny that then defended that statement? Do you deny that he then called that statement completely indefensible? If you think these aren't the facts then perhaps you shouldn't be reading the news or commenting about it anywhere.

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macstwo | Oct 09, 2012, 10:36 AM EDT

This is the problem with news media today, all verities... you no longer present the facts you use your media to express personal opinions, I have lost all faith in any news media and their presentation.

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1661996usmc | Oct 09, 2012, 08:56 AM EDT

I guess it looks like Romney to continue in the tradition of "Poor" Republicans like Nixon, Ford and the two Bushes. We'll survive him, I hope!!!

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cheesesteak | Oct 09, 2012, 08:34 AM EDT

I can't wait to hear what Cahir and the rest of the ignorant racists will say when Romney beats Obama by double digits in a few weeks.

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borefield | Oct 09, 2012, 06:05 AM EDT

Cahir, how can you be insulted when you show time after time how little intelligence you have. People with intelligence understood him completely . I guess the Wall street occupiers with their iPods and iPads, their pot and weed of choice, bad behavior and sexual depravity would be your choice of how a country should be run with me and people like me paying for it.

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71regiment | Oct 09, 2012, 02:52 AM EDT

I think most of the voters in the USA understood Romney's remark about the "47%" to mean not the folks on Soc Sec and Medicare who paid into each over the years, but rather to those who have not paid into the above and have made getting stuff from those who produce, into an occupation of sorts, they know all the angles, why work when I can get it by applying for it. Who really checks those who receive all kinds of freebies. Also be advised that the Democratic Gov of LA and the Democratic Mayor of New Oreleans left a lot to be desired with the big storm on its way. They should have moblized all state and city forces and evacuated folks well before the storm was due. Like other areas do when something bad happens. Why did the mayor not use all of the city school buses to evacuate, why did he not take up Amtraks offer, of sending trains to also evacute people. FEMA was established to respond after a major event occurred, so as to apply its resources to the areas hit hardest.

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jimgordo1 | Oct 08, 2012, 09:10 PM EDT

You know who recordeed the famous 47% video? It was a grandson of Jimmy Carter! Good going, son!

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olovely | Oct 08, 2012, 08:43 PM EDT

George W Bush gave the rich the biggest tax cuts in US history. Twice. Where are the jobs? Where is roaring economy? What will Mitt do that Bush didn't?

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katiemac | Oct 08, 2012, 07:37 PM EDT

Of course if you have no intelligence, Cahir, there is nothing to insult.

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