(AP)
(
)
WASHINGTON — A secretly recorded video emerged yesterday showing Mitt Romney saying he’s given up on nearly half of American voters because they don’t pay taxes, are dependent on government handouts, and are irreversibly loyal to President Obama.
The potentially damaging hidden-camera video, shot May 17 at a private fund-raiser, surfaced as Romney restarted his campaign amid reports of disarray and infighting.
“All right, there are 47 percent who are with [Obama], who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it,” Romney is clearly heard saying in the blurry footage.
He tells the room full of wealthy donors that those voters believe “that’s an entitlement and the government should give it to them.”
“And they will vote for this president no matter what . . . These are people who pay no income tax.
“My job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
The video was posted on the Web site of the left-wing magazine Mother Jones.
The Obama campaign seized on the remarks, hoping they would reinforce its attempts to paint Romney as a multimillionaire out of touch with regular folks.
“It’s hard to serve as president for all Americans when you’ve disdainfully written off half the nation,” said Obama campaign manager Jim Messina.
Romney did not back down from his remarks, saying only, “It’s not elegantly stated . . . I’m speaking off the cuff.”
His spokeswoman, Gail Gitcho, said Romney “wants to help all Americans struggling in the Obama economy.”
“As the governor has made clear all year, he is concerned about the growing number of people who are dependent on the federal government, including the record number of people who are on food stamps, nearly one in six Americans in poverty, and the 23 million Americans who are struggling to find work,” she said.
“Mitt Romney’s plan creates 12 million new jobs in four years grows the economy and moves Americans off of government dependency and into jobs.”
The video distracted from the Romney campaign’s announcement of a revamped strategy that promises to add detail to his plans for America.
The relaunch was an attempt to answer criticism from conservatives that Romney isn’t convincing voters. It also comes amid reports of disharmony in his campaign.