Mitt Romney CNN Interview: The 47% Comment Is 'Not What I Meant' (VIDEO

[TroyD]

WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney again distanced himself from his infamous 47 percent comments caught on video at a private fundraiser in May, telling CNN in an interview Tuesday night that, "the words that came out were not what I meant."

This is the second time in as many weeks that the Republican nominee abandoned his position that the sentiment he expressed when he called 47 percent of the country government-dependent, self-identified victims was correct but poorly worded. Last week, he told Fox News' Sean Hannity that the comment was "completely wrong" as opposed to ineloquently stated.

Interviewed by CNN host Wolf Blitzer, Romney repeated the line that, as president, he would work for "100 percent of the people," adding that, "what was stated in the tape was not referring to what kind of president I'd be." Asked what he would say to those funders if he had the opportunity to address them again on the topic, Romney offered the following:

"Well, Wolf, as you know, I was talking about how do you get to 50.1 percent of the vote. I'd like to get 100 percent of the vote, but I figure that's not going to happen, so I was trying to tell contributors how I get to 50.1 percent. I think it's always a perilous course for a candidate to start talking about the mathematics of an election."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/09/mitt-romney-cnn-interview_n_1952708.html

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. So noting that those people "don't take responsibility for their lives"

was an election analysis?

And weren't you just saying last week that you were "completely mistaken." Now you were just misunderstood?

Which is it?

That should be his nickname: Which-Is-It-Willard?

[Stargleamer]

10. Right On!

Romney made more than just the "47%" comment. Stuff about almost have of Americans seeing themselves as victims, and "never going to take responsibility for the lives".

I so wish he would get grilled for all these comments, not just one.

[Lex]

2. "What is it you people want me to say, I'll say it." -- a shorter version

[Tutonic]

3. Ok, but the part about

people expecting the government to give them food, housing, health care...did he still mean this? MItt Romney is one big ugly box of lies.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

4. It would have helped if Fluff Blister had played the actual tape of R$ saying 47%

When confronted with that tape, there is no way to squirm around what Romney actually said. But Fluff was too busy giving R$ a fluff blister.

[dchill]

5. If it's not what he meant, then...

What DID he mean?
How would we know?
How could anyone believe him?
And... why the hell did he say it?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. +1

If we can't ever trust Romney to say what he means and mean what he says then we CANNOT trust him with ANYTHING, not even nuclear launch codes!

[dchill]

9. And we sure can't trust the Wolfman...

To ask the most obvious follow-up questions.

[niyad]

6. so, mittens, you suffer from uncontrollable diarrhea of the mouth and yet you want to be elected?

you want to occupy the most powerful seat in the world, with uncontrollable things coming out of your mouth, things that just MIGHT upset world leaders, and people in other countries who might not understand this strange medical malady of yours, and just might take your uncontrollable oral diarrhea seriously?

future historians (probably from other planets, since this one will probably have been blown up in the misunderstanding) will note that ww3 was started by an uncontrollable medical condition, and shake their heads

[courseofhistory]

8. Math has nothing to do

with people being freeloaders and not taking personal responsibility and some of the other things he ridiculously argued. It wasn't just about math nor did it come out wrong. He meant it!

[TroyD]

11. Unfortunately Mitt's strategists have been doing well in October

After several poor months, I have to give them credit for getting back on their game.

It's too soon to know whether it will work, but they are obviously trying to portray Romney as sympathetic and apologetic.

The Obama Team needs a counter-strike to prevent voters from forgetting about the vile things Mitt actually said.