…And if you thought the Romney campaign would be allowed to reset their campaign in a vacuum, you were mistaken. Romney has been knocked not just off-message but off the Earth’s axis by videos obtained by Mother Jones. Here is the one that will prove most damning:
In the interest of starting the conversation about this new development, I’ll just post the video and leave my analysis for later.
Now we just need to get everyone to realize the Republican party has felt like this about America for at least 40 years.
I’m not willing to paint the entire GOP with such a broad brush. Back in the day, there were some good Republicans. People like Warren Rudman — fiscal conservatives who were basically human and well meaning. They even had some good ideas. Those folks have been run out of town on a rail.
Today’s GOP is toxic. Hopefully people are figuring it out. There’s not much to like about Mitt. The guy is incredibly condescending. Hopefully this will get some play and people will see it.
So the reason I support Obama (as one of the 47 percenters) is because I paid no income tax last year? Tell that to my accountant.
Back in the day, the Titanic was a nice ship. Doesn’t mean it is anymore.
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and lays duck eggs: it ain’t a fucking swan.
Out of Touch.
As if Bain Capital’s unregulated depredations, his off shore tax evasion accounts, his tax write off for his wife’s horse hobby, ad nauseam weren’t evidence of Lord Rmoneyroy’s own immense source of entitlement.
Yeah, that’s the thing. Vast tax break entitlements are just fine for the RyanRomney crowd who don’t need them and weren’t paying enough to begin with, but not for that filthy, dark “element” that doesn’t pay income tax for a while, even though they’re paying sales, real estate, social sec, medicare and the rest of the outrageously regressive taxes.
Romney was born a multimillionaire, so his entitlement is different, some how. “Personal responsibility” indeed. He and Ryan have never experienced living that cliche in their lives. Romney has finally drawn the line here. Anybody that still doesn’t know who he’ll work for should just self-deport.
I guess I have to change my tagline. Ryan is no longer the really evil troll on the ticket. Romney, you might say, has taken charge.
This is some kind of…surprise?
It’s actually a good plan. For Romney. He’s just about right with the 47% number, although the people who comprise that 47% do not much resemble his picture of them. But…he’s not talking to them. As he says, he’s talking to the swing voters. And brother…I know some of them. I work with or near them sometimes and they are related by marriage to me as well. He’ll reach some of them with just this tack.
Enough to win?
I think not. But time will tell.
Remember…this is not morality, it is politics. They are very, very distantly related.
Bet on it.
AG
It takes some amazing balls to put as many people out of work as Mitt has, as Republican policy has, and then castigate those people for not paying income taxes.
He may not make to election day without an encounter with pitchforks and torches.
The 47% meme has GOT to be address – it’s been ignored too long.
You can be sure that there is a large chunk of the electorate who is infuriated about this without realizing that they themselves are in the 47%. I’m referring to the low wage people at places like Walmart who do pay taxes on their 1040EZ or 1040A, but they taxes they pay are social security and medicare – the actual income tax portion of the 1040xxx taxes comes in at a higher income level than the other portions.
You know, now that I’m seeing this everywhere on the web over the last few minutes I’m thinking that this may be a planned move. If so, I applaud whoever did it – well timed and his might well serve as the perfect way to address the 47% meme.
I see Krugman has a link to a CPBB page that destroys the 47% myth – interestingly, a page that by coincidence was put up today.
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3505
Would be nice to think that on top of this September surprise there is an October surprise as well – like maybe a 2009 Romney tax return that put him in the 47%.
The cynical side of me wants to think this is a tactical leak to get his dogwhistle out without doing so directly. Romney’s expectation is that Joe-the-Plumbers out there in the industrial Mid West will align with the 1% rather than see themselves in that 47%.
It is a truly venal comment but Santorum, Gingrich and others have made similar comments already in the primaries so Romney must figure he has nothing to lose, since he IS losing anyway. So might as well appeal to even more White resentment.
This is an extension of his false Welfare ads. This man is EVIL
Yeah, I’m not sure why this is being hailed as The Next Big Thing.
Romney: “Dirty swarthy ruffians and stinky hippies won’t vote for me. You’re not one of Them, are you?”
So what? This seems like the kinda thing that we think is (yet another) game changer, but that’s just a big yawn. Or, like you say, a dogwhistle.
But to me “…my job is is not to worry about those people” strikes me as a dealbreaker for a presidential candidate. Not to mention a major policy headache.
Maybe. I hope you’re right! But I suspect ‘my job is not to worry about the mooching undeserving swarthy hordes’ is a feature, not a bug. I know you’re not supposed to say that out loud, but … We’ll see.
Obama just has to say in the debate – “MY job is to look after 100% of the American people all the time, whether they pay taxes or not, and that includes you, Mitt”
Perfect!
I like that.
Mitt’s reply: “Don’t touch me! DON’T TOUCH ME!!”
And yhr President replies:”don’t worry Mitt. We won’t be within touching distance when this thing is over…”
There is no way in hell the Romney campaign would have approved letting this video leak. His insults of Hispanic voters are FAR too toxic. His mouthbreathing 27% base will love it, but nobody else will.
If this doesn’t get the sorta-Obama voters out to the polls, nothing will. So I can’t see how Romney did anything but harikari.
Doesn’t Romney know that every word he speaks is recorded and not always in an approved form. He’s a disgusting human being.
Except in the sanctity of a private meeting with his fellow millionaires, apparently. Or so he thought.
I assumed Romney would deny the authenticity of the tape, but no — they just trotted out some crap about how Romney wants to help the poor people. If I were GOP, I’d be making an issue of the “fake tape” to distract from the content. Too late now. I don’t think any presidential candidate in history has ever abused half the population like this.
I think he’s put a finish to any hopes he had, but this still scares me more than anything that’s come out lately. Now we know for sure how the talk goes in the board rooms and the country club locker rooms. I wonder if America can survive the presence of people like RomneyRyan and his “friends”. This election has become a battle to prevent a full-fascist takeover.
Well after Politico’s leaky article I’m thinkin that those in the Romney infrastructure and the GOP might be thinking of pivoting away from Romney, not his campaign staff, asking Romney to take some family time perhaps with his relatives in Mexico and bump Ryan up.
At this point, it’s turning into a battle for survival of the Republican Party, they’re already going over the cliff it’s just how they land now that may or may not preserve them.
It may be called the 47% video but it’s 100% Romney.
I love the excuses. The context police are out full force on twitter. Wonder where they were during the “clinging to guns and religion” `08 campaign. Obama was also at a fundraiser. Sure don’t remember seeing people suggesting hey, he was just talking to supporters or hey, it’s what the majority of Dem supporters think anyway.
What are they saying? That it’s OK because he was just talking Republicans? Really?
The contexters are saying “Hey this is actually what most GOP base believes anyway, so no big deal?”
I think it is a big deal. When Obama had his “guns and religion” bit people were rightly PO’d, but unlike Romney Obama had history, a very supportive base who actually like him and a competitor in Hilary Clinton who even if she had wanted to, had by that time lost in delegate count anyway.
Romney has no basis of support.
Was Obama was explaining why he had to represent the whole electorate whereas Romney was explaining why he wouldn’t.
In the context of a heated campaign, have to throw red meat to the wallets, etc. etc.
Standard bullshit I bet.
Should have just gone with a “Heh, indeedy!”
no shock in the least.
is there one person watching this who didn’t think this was who Willard Romney is?
I don’t even know how to analyze this. I’m just going to use rikyrah’s favorite quote:
“They are who we thought they were.”
I sense 11th-dimensional chess being played. The table is being set with exquisite care.
I sense 11th-dimensional chess being played. The table was being set with exquisite care, and now it is being run.
Woops! Dunno how that happened.
Also known as:
Bet on it.
The only real question left?
Is Romney in on it?
How ’bout Obama?
Who cares?
Sonny Liston was in on it w/Ali. Maybe both times, but most certainly the rematch. Was Ali? I doubt it.
Was Jerry Quarry “in on it?” Alla the beatings he took, beatings that left him almost brain dead?
I don’t think so. Neither were most of his opponents, more’n likely. They just went out here and banged. That’s what they do. Bang.
Still a fix, any way you look at it.
Here too.
Bet on it.
Yup.
Deep.
Just remember, Booman at al…all of the Dem cheerleaders.
You been had. You didn’t do shit. You been had. Again.
Bet on that as well.
AG
AG
What a bore.
You really think that this is a straight contest? After the media transparently offed the only possible serious opponent to the PermaGov, Ron Paul?
These ideas ‘bore” you?
Unbelievable.
Sleep on.
AG
It’s like there’s an echo in here.
Yes Booman. You are right.
It’s you echoing the Dem talking points.
First from the big empty space called Daily Kos, and then when they get thoroughly reverberated in that cavern of idiocy you start them all over again here.
Bet on it.
AG
He is such an ahole. that is all
Hey, Mac? C’mon man. There are at least 4 different persons and 3 distinct classes of people who have been described as assholes in the above comments.
If you are going call someone that, please designate WHICH asshole you are talking about.
Thank you very much.
You know if Romney really believes that half of all Americans are totally dependent on the government for survival, he should be very very afraid. But I guess he thinks guys like him never go to the firing squad wall, or the guillotine or the headsman’s block. Stupid SOB has never read history.
Which history?
The history on the U.S. over the past 50 years or so?
Who’s been punished besides the little actors?
Kissinger?
Cheney?
Bush I and Bush II?
The real culprits of the economic crash are still collecting their bonuses and “advising” O’Bomber.
Maybe Romney ain’t so dumb after all.
He’ll lose…but he won’t lose his money or his freedom. In fact…he will make money on the loss.
Bet on it.
Why?
How?
He played his part.
People who play villains in Hollywood get paid big money too.
Bet on that as well.
Later…
AG
I was referring, respectively, to the Russian Revolution, the French Revolution, and the English Civil war.
All pre-PermaGov and ore importantly, pre-PermaGov/corporate-controlled media. It’s an entgirely new game now.
We had a quick “Information Age”…say from the assassination of JFK/RFK/MLK Jr. through the civil rights/end the war in Vietnam era. Stuff managed to seep through the cracks in the media. True stuff. So they tightened up their game.
Result? The (still tightening up)Disinformation Age.
The internet still works, but not well enough to do people much good. Too much disinfo easily available. Too much” information” in general, actually. Average people just give up and take what they are fed through the disinfo spreaders. The networks, the mainstream newspapers, newmags and websites.
And they do.
Watch.
1984 came a little late this century.
Watch.
AG
This is Romney’s equivalent to Obama’s “clinging to their guns and religion” quote from a 2008 fundraiser. But this is much much worse.
And guess which states boast the highest percentage of non-payers? Is this the new Southern Strategy? heh
During the Republican primaries, as awful as Romney was, I thought he must be the best of those candidates who had any chance of winning. As bad as he was, he was surely better than Gingrich, or Santorum, or God help us, Herman Caine. Now I wonder if I was wrong. Surely at least Rick Perry would have been a better choice.
Makes a nice t-shirt or bumper sticker.
Erick Erickson and the rest of the grifters are urging Romney to go public like this on the stump. They really, truly, honestly believe their own shit.
Every word he says is true! Obama and Democrats use the treasury to buy votes…increasing dependency on Governmet translates to more Democratic votes…isn’t it obvious? Thst’s your whole plan…keep expanding government until you obtain your “permanent majority”…Romney’s just telling the truth!
Yeah, NickN is exactly why disdainful liberals like AG are sometimes a pain in the ass.
Maybe he’s right, maybe he’s wrong. Who gives a tinkers dam? He gives fuel to people who espouse positions like NickN. They are assholes, as opposed to NickN who is a principled follower of Mooni…ummmmm Conservative Leaders.
I am neither “disdainful” nor am I a liberal, DerFarm.
And I am always a pain in the ass because I keep kicking ass with the truth of the matter.
Fools like NickN don’t feed off of what I am saying. They will run their tripe game no matter who says anything. But maybe…just maybe…I might reach a few people who still have a portion of their mind still open. People who still have a loose wire that can receive non-mainstream information.
So I keep trying.
You don’t like it?
Don’t read it.
AG
Take your meds, Nick. They are good for you.
It puts a new spin on his comment “I don’t care about the poor.” And the link below should help Romney lose the Latino Vote:
http://front.moveon.org/part-2-of-mitt-romneys-secret-tapes-jokes-about-the-latino-vote-and-its-real
ly-not-funny-2/
I think it depends on how widely accepted the 47% meme is. I don’t know how it feels to you guys living in the thick of it, but from abroad it looks as though it’s pretty deeply entrenched in the national dialogue.
If that’s the case, then it probably doesn’t hurt Romney. Like he says, he only has to care about the 5-10% of swing voters in the middle. If they buy into the 47% idea, then they’re likely to hear his words and assume he’s talking about somebody else, “lazy people” who want something for nothing from the government.
It’s not like undecideds are the brightest or best informed people out there, you know.
They’re not. For whatever reason, they don’t follow all of this. But they do look around and see how others that they respect are reacting to all the drama. Then (if they vote at all) they vote either for who their respected friends support or for who they think is going to be the winner – because they don’t like supporting losers.
What probably hurts Romney the most (with this target group – The Undecideds) is being portrayed as a Loser day after day. This may do it.
That’s my best guess, too. Like they’re waiting to see how everyone else votes before they make up their minds. I wonder if a lot of these people would be happier not voting at all, except for the pressure they feel to do it out of civic duty, if that sort of pressure can still be said to exist.
What probably hurts Romney the most (with this target group – The Undecideds) is being portrayed as a Loser day after day. This may do it.
That’s a good thought. Enough negative coverage might also help reinforce the GOP position that the media is biased against Romney. With all that superPAC money, it’s hard to know how much effective spin they can buy.