GOP front-runner Mitt Romney said this morning that he's not concerned about the plight of the country's very poor because there are social safety nets that take care of them.
"I'm in this race because I care about Americans," Romney told CNN's Soledad O'Brien this morning after his resounding victory in Florida on Tuesday. "I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it."
"I'm not concerned about the very rich, they're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of the America, the 90, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling and I'll continue to take that message across the nation."
The CNN anchor pressed Romney: "You just said I'm not concerned about the very poor because they have a safety net. And I think there are lotsof very poor Americans who are struggling who would say that sounds odd. Can you explain that?"
"Well, you had to finish the sentence, Soledad," said Romney. "I said I'm not concerned about the very poor that have the safety net, but if it has holes in it, I will repair them…The - the challenge right now - wewill hear from the Democrat Party, the plight of the poor, and - and there's no question, it's not good being poor and we have a safety netto help those that are very poor. But my campaign is focused on middle income Americans . My campaign- you can choose where to focus. You can focus on the rich. That's not my focus. You can focus on the very poor. That's not my focus. My focus ison middle income Americans, retirees living on social security, people who cannot find work, folks who have kids that are getting ready to go to college. That - these are the people who've been most badly hurt during the Obama years."
The initial poll from O'Brien was about a newpoll from the Pew Research Center indicating that when it comes to"understanding the needs of average Americans," President Obama scored 55 percent while he merited 39 percent.
If Romney wins the Republican nomination - his victory in the Florida primary Tuesday brings him a big step closer - Democrats will seek to label him as more concerned with businessand corporate America than with working individuals. The comment about not being concerned with the very poor could play into that line of attack. In January, Romney said at a campaign stop that he once feared getting a pink slip . But that comment drew criticism from his Republican rivals, particularly Texas Gov. Rick Perry , who has since dropped out of the race, because Romney is very wealthy and most of his income comes not from a paycheck, but from interest and capitalgains.
On a campaign flight from Tampa, Fla., to Minneapolis, where Republican caucuses take place Feb. 7, Romney said the exchange on CNN was mischaracterized.
"What did you mean when you said you were not very concerned about poor people," a reporter asked him.
"No no no no. I - no, no. You've got to take the whole sentence, all right,as opposed to saying, and then change it just alittle bit, because then it sounds very different," said Romney. "I've said throughout the campaign my focus, my concern, my energy is gonna be devoted to helping middle income people, all right? We have a safety net for the poor in, and if there are holes in it, I will work to repair that. And if there are people that are falling through the cracks I want to fix that. Wealthy people are doing fine. But my focus in the campaign is on middle income people. Of course I'm concerned about all Americans - poor, wealthy, middle class, but the focus of my effort will be on middle income families who I think have been most hurt by the Obama economy."
The social safety net has become a big part of thecampaign for president among Republican candidates. Romney's chief rival, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, has said that President Obama is a "food stamp president."
http://news.yahoo.com/romney-not-concerned-very-poor-160802569--abc-news.html;_ylt=Ak3Uy_DkZJoJUiAs0R_hqzCs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNtYjdscTNzBG1pdANKdW1ib3Ryb24gRlAEcGtnAzFkNzNmNjllLTZiNzctMzdkNy04ZmRkLTg5NDE2MjI2NjhhMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDanVtYm90cm9uBHZlcgNmM2MxY2VmNC00Y2Y3LTExZTEtYTcwNS03OGU3ZDFmYTU2ZTI-;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

I really think that Romney jumped the shark.

First the $10,000 bet. Now this HOWLER!

There is just no way to lipstick this pig.

This pig is too big and too fricken yoo-glay!

There are 50 million in poverty in the US and
the middle class really is vanishing. There is
no great safety net for the poor.

Romney seems to be making a genuinely big effort
to alienate huge gigantic voting blocks. It is
going to make him unelectable.

Man what a colossal screw-up. Good thing there
at least is Ron Paul!

FTW!

....let them eat cake

How out of touch.

not the comment bout the 'concern' for the poor.

The part about 'I will fix it'.

Roman Governors and Senators abound in this day.

Look folks I have the poor at my feet (and I am their safety). The middle class feed me and till my gardens. I look about and my gaze rests peacefully upon my friends the Rich.

Yep...

Gafe right up there with the 'let this oil spill be over so I can get back to my life on the yacht'.

and...

"We care deeply for the little people'.

Keep poking the toe of the giant...

I read about this earlier and some blogger made the comment, "He's just not a very good politician." And I really think that's what it is. He keeps dropping these little stupidity bombs and then having to backtrack and explain how he didn't really mean it like it sounded, you have to take it in context. And if you go back and look at the full context, he usually has a point. BUT the problem is, a politician nowadays should KNOW that everyone is just lying in wait for a stupidity bomb, and should make sure there aren't any. Of course, then he'd sound even more scripted than he already does . . . so it's pretty hopeless for him.

Plenty of other candidates say infuriating things, but they MEAN them. Or at least they pretend they do. Or at least they realize what they've done the minute it happens. Romney doesn't seem to get any of that.