Slog
News & ArtsMonday, September 17, 2012
2012 Mitt Romney Holds Press Conference, Digs Himself Even Deeper
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 11:01 PM
This afternoon, I first told you about the secret fundraiser tapes that revealed Mitt Romney's real opinions on "jokingly" wanting to be Latino; on Chinese working conditions; and on the 47% of leeching, Obama-voting Americans who believe they are victims. And then, as Goldy noted, the "47%" tape really caught on this afternoon. It caught on so much, in fact, that Romney had an emergency press conference this evening, in which he took a whopping three questions from the press corps. However, Romney didn't apologize for his comments. In fact, he made everything worse. You can watch the full press conference at ABC News, but here's the Q&A portion:
Look at that fucker squirm. I've commented before about the real fear in Mitt Romney's eyes, lately. This is a man who has no idea what he's doing. He's frightened, he's frustrated, and he's confused. Go watch him take the perp walk to the podium, and then watch his walk back at the end of this video as he ignores the press's questions. That plastered-on smile. That awkward, stiff gait. He doesn't know what to do. He really has no fucking clue what to do next.
I find it hilarious that Romney is calling for the person who owns the tapes to release all of them, since he's been ignoring calls to release his tax records for over a year now. Unlike those of us waiting for Romney to release his taxes, though, he won't have to wait long for the rest of this tape to go public. Mother Jones is promising more of the tapes in a few hours, and then they're promising to release the rest of the tapes tomorrow.
1
This mans entire biography is that of a sociopath. From violently attacking his classmates in school for having long hair, to strapping the family dog to the roof of the car for a road trip, to telling a gay couple " I didn't know you had families", to "corporations are people, my friend", to his career destroying the American worker for profit, to his declaring that 47% of all Americans are parasites... That is the real Myth Romney. He's like a Ted Bundy wanna be.
5
Watching Rmoney be this incompetent at running for a government job, I'm having a hard time envisioning him as competent in anything. How'd he make his cash again? I'm guessing...his last name.
6
@5- Backstabbing backroom deals where he never had to explain anything to anyone who wasn't on his payroll.
7
i thought the shit they ran 4 years ago was jaw dropping, but this here ? i would actually seriously entertain getting the frak out of here IF he wins. thing is about that 'IF', i'm not at all confident that he won't win.. but the debates ought to simnk him...
ps to my fellow african american clergy that are thinking about sitting this one out because of whatever rooty poot bullshit about obama and 'the gays'... fuck... whatevs please PLEASE hold your fuckin noses and VOTE...
ps to my fellow african american clergy that are thinking about sitting this one out because of whatever rooty poot bullshit about obama and 'the gays'... fuck... whatevs please PLEASE hold your fuckin noses and VOTE...
8
Mitt Romney 2016? Yeah, because I think he done blew it for 2012. That "47%" comment alone was pretty fucking egregious. I can only imagine what we're going to learn tomorrow.
9
@5, this has actually been covered on Slog before, but the man was a consultant and cost manager. He literally got paid to destroy jobs. It actually makes a certain sense that he has no idea how to interact with people except to patronize them and fuck them over.
10
Please yes let's keep talking about who bears the greatest tax burden in our country.
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=vie…
I'm really trying not to get overconfident, but man... another week, another catastrophe in the Romney campaign. I think @4's got the right idea.
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=vie…
I'm really trying not to get overconfident, but man... another week, another catastrophe in the Romney campaign. I think @4's got the right idea.
11
"That's something which fund raising people who are parting with their monies are very interested in . . . ." I love that the NYT rendered "monies" accurately. You can live a lifetime on Wall Street, read a thousand indentures with the word, but never hear a single person actually say, in conversation, "monies"!
He's a dick, yes (I don't think he's a douche or an asshole), but more accurately, he's a prick. We need a new Slog poll.
He's a dick, yes (I don't think he's a douche or an asshole), but more accurately, he's a prick. We need a new Slog poll.
12
@4 - I'm sure the Obama campaign is having some popcorn right now and Obama's looking forward to the debates.
But in all due respect, how much more can a man shoot off of himself. he's already shot off his foot. Now he's going for the knees???
That video and the press conference he gave was just a Christmas present to Democratic ad campaign producers.
And that walk off the podium with that fake ass smile is a gift to Youtube spoof makers, comedians, and meme makers.
I thought McCain was off his rocker towards the end but McCain doesn't compare to how Mitt Romney is falling apart.
But in all due respect, how much more can a man shoot off of himself. he's already shot off his foot. Now he's going for the knees???
That video and the press conference he gave was just a Christmas present to Democratic ad campaign producers.
And that walk off the podium with that fake ass smile is a gift to Youtube spoof makers, comedians, and meme makers.
I thought McCain was off his rocker towards the end but McCain doesn't compare to how Mitt Romney is falling apart.
13
@7 - I gotta agree with you. If he wins, I'm running to Canada. I know some guys in Montreal who'd marry my black gay ass in a heartbeat and I'd be happy being their husbands :)
As for the African American vote, some pastor's not going to get old black ladies to listen to him when they say don't vote for Obama. They want to continue seeing Michelle, her mother, and the girls grow up in that White House. They want to be able to tell their grandkids and great grand kids of how proud they were to see a black man be president for 8 years and that they can do whatever the fuck they want as long as they study and do well in school and life.
As for the African American vote, some pastor's not going to get old black ladies to listen to him when they say don't vote for Obama. They want to continue seeing Michelle, her mother, and the girls grow up in that White House. They want to be able to tell their grandkids and great grand kids of how proud they were to see a black man be president for 8 years and that they can do whatever the fuck they want as long as they study and do well in school and life.
14
The Romney vid may not cause much movement in the polls or the popular vote, the numbers will remain about the same as they are now. This will solidify the President's current few point lead and maybe, just maybe, give him an electoral college landslide. The Republican base has already bought this line, even the ones who receive Social Security and Medicare. The retirees don't consider themselves in the moocher class. They got their government benefits the old fashioned way, they earned it. The middle class taking the mortgage
deduction, dependent deductions,etc. earned it.
A few years ago, in a job making $9.50 a hour, I had an always Democratic voting boss who assumed I, a single man, did not pay any income taxes. She thought all her low wage workers received the Earned Income Tax Credit. When I said I paid income taxes she said I didn't know how to "work the system." Later this somehow morphed into I must have a private income in order to pay taxes, because this mythical private income was mentioned close to expected layoffs. She said she was not worried about my survival because of that income.
This attitude is prevalent in the managerial class in the Midwest. Everyone below them is getting all kinds of freebies from the government. Those people don't need a living wage because the working poor are mooching off of the government in mystical ways not known to the much harder working middle class. Those people are getting something they are not. This is how Republicans win the white blue collar and middle class vote.
deduction, dependent deductions,etc. earned it.
A few years ago, in a job making $9.50 a hour, I had an always Democratic voting boss who assumed I, a single man, did not pay any income taxes. She thought all her low wage workers received the Earned Income Tax Credit. When I said I paid income taxes she said I didn't know how to "work the system." Later this somehow morphed into I must have a private income in order to pay taxes, because this mythical private income was mentioned close to expected layoffs. She said she was not worried about my survival because of that income.
This attitude is prevalent in the managerial class in the Midwest. Everyone below them is getting all kinds of freebies from the government. Those people don't need a living wage because the working poor are mooching off of the government in mystical ways not known to the much harder working middle class. Those people are getting something they are not. This is how Republicans win the white blue collar and middle class vote.
15
Mitt lies repeatedly, continuously throughout this press conference, even about things he doesn't need to lie about. The video *does* have the question on it, for example. Lies, lies, lies.
Mitt is slowly turning into Nathan Thurm...watch this SNL clip http://www.hulu.com/watch/273989 and spot the resemblance.
Mitt is slowly turning into Nathan Thurm...watch this SNL clip http://www.hulu.com/watch/273989 and spot the resemblance.
16
I believe it was Goebbels who said " Repeat a lie often enough, and you are Myth Romney", but I might be paraphrasing a bit.
17
This election has turned out to be so much FUN! Such a show of incompetence and foot-in-mouth disease. Poor Romney!
18
This video might have been leaked on purpose? It's right that the demographic he outlines likely won't vote for him so he may as well not bother with them. There will be richer independents who voted for Obama last time and will think - this guy can help me.
Maybe his policy shift is "I'm going to be a confident bad person, rather than pretend and try to get a chunk of people to vote for someone they wouldn't had they known all the facts." And that is making him appear more human - judging by the lack of wood brought to this interview performance. Also - noone is talking about his tax returns.
Maybe his policy shift is "I'm going to be a confident bad person, rather than pretend and try to get a chunk of people to vote for someone they wouldn't had they known all the facts." And that is making him appear more human - judging by the lack of wood brought to this interview performance. Also - noone is talking about his tax returns.
19
i am unconvinced that this will penetrate the brains of fox viewers (fox simply won't address it other than ad hominem attacks on mother jones) and low-information independents. the media sources are separate, and the bubble is too thick.
20
@18 Is that the Chris Christie strategy? Since Romney is more wooden than Al Gore I am not sure this is going to work. I did have the same thought that this was scripted though I don't understand the motivation other than to whip up votes in the 47% of the "lost looter-class."
21
The wrinkled brow, the pulled up shoulders, the flailing hands, along with the sick smile plastered on his face -- says it all.
He has been caught red-handed. Mitt's campaign continues to implode.
So let's make SURE we get out there and vote Democrat, in force. Don't get cocky or complacent. Send these nitwits a Big Blue Message on Nov. 6.
He has been caught red-handed. Mitt's campaign continues to implode.
So let's make SURE we get out there and vote Democrat, in force. Don't get cocky or complacent. Send these nitwits a Big Blue Message on Nov. 6.
22
Romney says here that this 47% of voters is lost to him because he can't lower their taxes. If that's true, shouldn't he be running on something else?
Still, if you don't pay federal income tax but have an income, isn't that largely due to tax credits and deductions you are afforded? So wouldn't a tax cut still mean more money in your pocket?
Still, if you don't pay federal income tax but have an income, isn't that largely due to tax credits and deductions you are afforded? So wouldn't a tax cut still mean more money in your pocket?
23
My favorite is his explanation of how he'll have a better response to all this once someone else has had a chance to write that response for him. He's "speaking off the cuff" here so, you know, it's not fair to expect him to be coherent, it's not like he's running for president. Oh.
24
This doesn't even sound like campaigning, to me. It sounds like pre-emptive excuse-making. I think there is a part of Mitt that knows he's already lost, and now he's starting to hedge, and lay out all the reasons why it's not his fault, whaaaaaaa.
27
Mrs. Jack has been trying to not watch the politics this season. She's just generally torqued off about politicians in general. That said, I had Mitt's presser on, because I just had to watch that on the big screen and the first words out of her mouth were, "wow Obama's team should just let Mitt talk, they'll win no problem".
The only way they win is "can't vote for the black man".
The only way they win is "can't vote for the black man".
28
@27 "Can't vote for a black man" was the strategy of McCain's campaign. It didn't work then and it won't work now.
29
@22: Yes, and the kicker is, those tax deductions were created during Saint Reagan's presidency.
The wingnuts are blaming the policies they created.
Also worth noting: Romney sees his own very low personal tax rate as an achievement worth bragging about, an achievement that counts as one of his dubious qualifications to be president.
So per GOP -think, arent those millions not paying Federal tax also worthy of praise for their fiscal prowess at avoiding paying taxes just like Mittens?
The wingnuts are blaming the policies they created.
Also worth noting: Romney sees his own very low personal tax rate as an achievement worth bragging about, an achievement that counts as one of his dubious qualifications to be president.
So per GOP -think, arent those millions not paying Federal tax also worthy of praise for their fiscal prowess at avoiding paying taxes just like Mittens?
30
"I'm talking about the process of campaigns. Typically I don't talk about the process, uh, uh, in- in speeches, because, uh, I think candidates are wiser to talk about policy and their vision than- than to talk about how they're gonna win an election..."
This is an excellent example of how terrible he is at campaigning. Notice his framing is not the much more intuitive and palatable "I think the American people want to hear about policy, not campaign strategy," but instead "I think it's better for candidates (i.e. me) to talk about policy, not campaign strategy."
This is an excellent example of how terrible he is at campaigning. Notice his framing is not the much more intuitive and palatable "I think the American people want to hear about policy, not campaign strategy," but instead "I think it's better for candidates (i.e. me) to talk about policy, not campaign strategy."
31
I've been trying to figure who he means when he says 47 percent. Is that the number of people who don't pay income tax? The current polling for Obama when he said it? The number of democrats? Anybody have a clue?
I just wonder why this guy thinks a good leader disses 47 percent of the people he is supposed to lead.
I just wonder why this guy thinks a good leader disses 47 percent of the people he is supposed to lead.
32
@31
The 47% are people you don't like who will vote for Obama because they don't pay any taxes and they want Obama to take more of your money and give it to them.
Now if you also don't pay any taxes because you don't have much money or are retired or were fired from the steel mill when it closed or are a disabled vet then that 47% does NOT include you IF YOU VOTE REPUBLICAN.
Which means that the "47%" is really just Obama supporters.
So Romney was ragging on the Obama supporters in a way that would appeal to his audience.
And Romney's audience was people who could afford a $50,000 lunch.
The 47% are people you don't like who will vote for Obama because they don't pay any taxes and they want Obama to take more of your money and give it to them.
Now if you also don't pay any taxes because you don't have much money or are retired or were fired from the steel mill when it closed or are a disabled vet then that 47% does NOT include you IF YOU VOTE REPUBLICAN.
Which means that the "47%" is really just Obama supporters.
So Romney was ragging on the Obama supporters in a way that would appeal to his audience.
And Romney's audience was people who could afford a $50,000 lunch.
33
CbyetheSea @ 31:
A recent investigation found that 47% of American's do not pay any FEDERAL income tax at all. They do pay other taxes, of course, but either their pay is too low, their deductions are too large or they are adept at exploiting tax loopholes for them to actually owe money to the U.S. goverment. It's sort of like the way GE managed to not only avoid paying any federal taxes at all last year, but actually got a 6 Billion [with a b] dollar tax credit.
A recent investigation found that 47% of American's do not pay any FEDERAL income tax at all. They do pay other taxes, of course, but either their pay is too low, their deductions are too large or they are adept at exploiting tax loopholes for them to actually owe money to the U.S. goverment. It's sort of like the way GE managed to not only avoid paying any federal taxes at all last year, but actually got a 6 Billion [with a b] dollar tax credit.
36
@33:
That's somewhat misleading. If you work for an employer you pay federal income tax; but, if your income is low enough in concert with the size of your household, then you get most, or even all of what you paid in taxes throughout the year back in the spring as a refund.
Meanwhile, the federal government banks the money paid between January and December, collects interest on it, and uses THAT plus the principal to help pay for federal budget expenditures. So, even if the claim of "47% don't pay (federal) taxes" is technically accurate within the parameters cited above, that still doesn't mean those individuals aren't helping in some measure to pay for the operations and services the government provides.
That's somewhat misleading. If you work for an employer you pay federal income tax; but, if your income is low enough in concert with the size of your household, then you get most, or even all of what you paid in taxes throughout the year back in the spring as a refund.
Meanwhile, the federal government banks the money paid between January and December, collects interest on it, and uses THAT plus the principal to help pay for federal budget expenditures. So, even if the claim of "47% don't pay (federal) taxes" is technically accurate within the parameters cited above, that still doesn't mean those individuals aren't helping in some measure to pay for the operations and services the government provides.
37
@36,
I'm pretty sure you can set your withholding to 0 if you so choose. I would hope most poor people do that, because, otherwise, they're getting ripped off.
I'm pretty sure you can set your withholding to 0 if you so choose. I would hope most poor people do that, because, otherwise, they're getting ripped off.
38
@37 it's true you can do that. But if you get a lot of overtime or are promoted during that period it can bite you back. And it's a bummer to find out you owe taxes when you're still scraping by.
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