Romney's hopes take a dive after leaked videos

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Mitt Romney's presidential campaign has been badly damaged after two leaked videos exposed his blunt views about poor Americans and Middle East peace hopes.

Custom byline text:

ELLEN THOMAS WASHINGTON, DC

The first clip, recorded by a hidden camera at a closed-door Florida fundraiser in May, showed Mr Romney telling wealthy donors that 47% of Americans "believe they are victims" entitled to help from the government.

Later a new clip surfaced in which the Republican candidate said Palestinians did not want peace and a resolution of their conflict with Israel was not possible.The first video was released on Monday by liberal magazine Mother Jones. In it Mr Romney says: "There are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. "There are 47% who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe they are entitled to healthcare, to food, to housing, to you name it."He claimed his role "is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives".Mr Romney does not dispute the authenticity of the footage, but has called for the release of the full video, not just the clips. He sought to clarify his remarks but did not apologise when asked if he was concerned he may have offended people. He said: "It's not elegantly stated. I was speaking off the cuff in response to a question. I'm sure I could state it more clearly in a more effective way than I did in a setting like that."He said the remarks showed a contrast between President Barack Obama's "government-centred society" and his belief in a free-market approach.Mr Romney added: "I want to help all Americans to have a bright and prosperous future."About 46% of Americans owed no federal income tax in 2011, although many paid other forms of taxes. More than 16 million elderly Americans avoid federal income taxes solely because of tax breaks that apply only to pensioners, according to the non-partisan Tax Policy Centre.The second video was released yesterday – again by Mother Jones – just as Republicans were trying to limit the fallout from the first.In this one – shot at the same Florida event – Mr Romney says: "I look at the Palestinians, not wanting to see peace anyway for political purposes, committed to the destruction and elimination of Israel. These thorny issues and I say there's just no way." The videos are the latest headache for Mr Romney's campaign, which has tried to focus attention on a weak economic recovery and make the case the Republican's business background would help spur the economy. In recent weeks, it has dealt with the fallout from Clint Eastwood's rambling conversation with a chair at the Republican convention and Mr Romney's omission of the war in Afghanistan or thanks to the troops in his convention speech.The eruption of violence in Egypt and Libya last week prompted Mr Romney to issue a statement assailing the Obama administration before it was known an American ambassador and three other US citizens had died, a move that generated criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike.Polls have shown Mr Obama with an edge nationally and in key battleground states. The Republican campaign team is now working on a new strategy to try and improve Mr Romney's standing in the lead-up to the first presidential debate on October 3.

Contextual targeting label:

Block list

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Romney's hopes take a dive after leaked videos

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED