# The Romney Tapes - thoughts as to how they'll affect the election? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 17, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007 "2012-09-17T21:14:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/101 "2012-09-18T05:08:52Z")
Deja vu: > [@](#): > > “It’s not elegantly stated, let me put it that way,” Mr. Romney said. is pretty much how he reacted to Rush Limbaugh’s spittle-flecked tirade against Sandra Fluke. Before I saw tonight’s press conference, I’d have said this kerfuffle will ultimately have less effect on the election than it seems like it will right now. After watching it, I’m not so sure. Number one, he didn’t really walk back any of his statements at all. He just tried to vague-ify them. “I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives” becomes “Those who are reliant on government are not as attracted to my message of slimming down the size of government.” Same thing, just ahem, Elegantly Stated. Number two, look at him. He looks…ruffled. His hair’s mussed up. Given how hastily this presser was thrown together and how tidy and controlled this stuff usually is seems to indicate the campaign may be rattled. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/102 "2012-09-18T05:15:38Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I don’t really think this, or most things that happen, affects the odds either way. As far as I’m concerned the Democrats will always vote Democrat and the Republicans will always vote Republican and all that matters is to what extent each candidate can get his side riled up and willing to actually drag themselves out of their homes and to the polling stations in the weeks leading up to the election. You’re likely right, but this will impact voter enthusiasm for the Repubs in a negative way. I can’t imagine it as a positive for the Romney team, no matter how anybody can spin it. On the other hand, minds can be changed. After all, my wife and I actually started a Forbes 2000 group in Atlanta in 1998… and voted for Obama 10 years later. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/103 "2012-09-18T05:19:16Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > He will have a helluva time trying to spin this 47% statement, and he will not succeed. Nor should he. Anyone who feels that way about nearly half of the voters shouldn’t even be _running_ for president, let alone qualified to serve. It’s so much worse the more context included, not only did he say 47 percent of people aren’t going to vote for him anyway he went on to say: > [@](#): > > My job is is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives. He believes the president should only represent 53% of the population. Last I checked the presidents job regardless of political affiliation was to represent all of America. This overall isn’t going to kill Romney. It certainly makes more work for his already struggling campaign. They’ve been working hard to destroy the image that he’s out of touch with average Americans and every time he speaks he sets them back. That has to be so frustrating for his staff. Romney still has voting suppression efforts working in his favor and today’s news cycle kept that under the radar, so this incident didn’t actually put them as far behind as one would think. Taking 730,000 voters in Ohio out of the election does wonders for his chances there. ---
**Author:** ![Sekigahara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19adc/32.png) [@Sekigahara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sekigahara)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/104 "2012-09-18T05:34:32Z")
That sound you just heard was half the population of Florida spitting out their Medicare-funded dentures in disgust at being called freeloaders by Mitt Romney. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/105 "2012-09-18T05:37:17Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > You’re likely right, but this will impact voter enthusiasm for the Repubs in a negative way. Why would it? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/106 "2012-09-18T05:45:05Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Why would it? If only because they might see the campaign as bumbling and incompetent after several bad Romney news cycles - many from unforced errors - stacked together. This tends to deflate supporters, and they not might show up on the big day. Carter voters might have felt that way. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/107 "2012-09-18T05:47:04Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > If only because they might see the campaign as bumbling and incompetent after several bad Romney news cycles - of many unforced errors - stacked together. This tends to deflate supporters, and they might show up on the big day. Except a quick glance of right-leaning cites would show the exact opposite, since the prevailing thought in conservative circles seems to be “He’s exactly right”. > [@](#): > > Carter voters might have felt that way. It’s kind of weird that you would try to equate Carter to Romney. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/108 "2012-09-18T05:48:57Z")
He called a significant percentage of his supporters “Takers” and said that it’s not his job to worry about those people. He is demonstrating a shocking lack of tact, diplomacy, and the ability to just STFU. If you don’t believe me, check around the web, read the comments. He’s going to get _pounded_ because of this - by the press, by the President, by the public. When the debates come about, Obama will remind people that this is the guy who only wants to be President for half of America… and all Romney can say (given his speech tonight) is that he regrets his “inelegant” wording. This won’t affect the die-hards, but it will bother the swing voters, the independents that Romney needs in order to have half a chance at winning this thing. To give an idea as to the fallout, [people are already saying that this is the moment that caused Romney to lose this race](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-17/today-mitt-romney-lost-the-election.html). Regardless of whether one believes it, this is the sort of thing you _do not_ want people saying, reading, and hearing 7 weeks prior to the election. Perception is reality in politics. If the perception is that Romney is a loser as a candidate, he will lose. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/109 "2012-09-18T05:59:14Z")
He’ll get pounded because of it because he’s a Republican-- like he’s been getting pounded for however long now. That’s nothing new. And this’ll cause him to lose the election in much the same way as every other purported gaffe. Again, it’s nothing new. Romney won’t lose any Independents over this. In fact, dare I say it, he’ll probably widen his lead among Independents over the next few weeks. He said nothing that isn’t a sentiment shared by a rather large portion of the electorate; there are too many people who want to be takers and a large portion of the electorate who will continue to vote for someone so they can remain so. It’s not politically correct to say but it is what it is. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/110 "2012-09-18T06:00:29Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > It’s kind of weird that you would try to equate Carter to Romney. Not at all. I meant that sometimes voters wake up in the morning and realize they were backing a losing, embarrassing ticket. Surely some large group of folks woke up with that thought in '80. They didn’t show up in November. You know the rest. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/111 "2012-09-18T06:03:15Z")
And Obama gets pounded because he’s a Democrat. Your point being? I doubt any true independent will be swayed to Romney’s side by these remarks. They’re cold, callous, and unpresidential - who the hell running for their country’s highest office says their job is to dismiss half the country? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/112 "2012-09-18T06:09:27Z")
Conservatives seem to think that the attitudes Romney expressed are not only factually accurate, but that a significant portion of people outside his (Romney’s) base agree with them. I’d be interested in actual arguments to support that, other than, “of course that’s what _real_ Americans believe.” At the very least, the comments seem to strike me as politically unwise for being so easy to rephrase (or twist, depending on how you see it) into something like, “half of the country is made up of losers I couldn’t care less about” or “Mitt Romney only cares about half the country - which half are YOU in?” I mean, yeah, if you really do believe that the majority of the country agrees with you, go ahead and own them, but the fact that Romney doesn’t seem to be embracing them so far tells me something about how he, at least, views what he said. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/113 "2012-09-18T06:09:37Z")
These are the top 6 articles (in the upper left hand corner) of [http://www.washingtonpost.com](http://www.washingtonpost.com) right now: [ul] [li]Errors hurting Romney effort, some in GOP say[/li] [li]The Fix: Romney’s darkest hour[/li] [li]In video, Romney disdains a ‘dependent’ 47 percent[/li] [li]Romney stands by his remarks[/li] [li]Fact Checker: Romney misleads[/li] [li]Klein: Romney’s ‘taker class’ theory[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/114 "2012-09-18T06:10:10Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > And Obama gets pounded because he’s a Democrat. Not to the same level as Romney. Yes, yes, I know. Conservative persecution complex and all that. > [@](#): > > I doubt any true independent will be swayed to Romney’s side by these remarks. They’re cold, callous, and unpresidential - who the hell running for their country’s highest office says their job is to dismiss half the country? I see a no True Scottsman Fallacy. But, no, he didn’t dismiss half the country. He said there’s no use in trying to win their votes. In elections, that’s true. There isn’t a single presidential candidate who has tried to win 100% of the electorate. I mean, just look at the DNC-- clearly not aimed at everyone. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/115 "2012-09-18T06:13:30Z")
More details have been released as to the time and place these remarks were made: > **[Romney “47 Percent” Fundraiser Host: Hedge Fund Manager Who Likes Sex Parties](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/romney-secret-video-marc-leder-sex-parties/)** > > Guests paid $50,000 a plate to hear the GOP candidate describe Obama voters as moochers. > [@](#): > > When Mitt Romney at a private fundraiser dismissed all Barack Obama voters as moochers and victims—showing disdain for nearly half of the American electorate—he was speaking at the home of controversial private equity manager Marc Leder in Boca Raton on May 17, 2012. This is evident from references made by Romney within the full video recording of the event that has been reviewed by Mother Jones. It was at a $50k/plate fundraiser where he made his “inelegant” remarks. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/116 "2012-09-18T06:14:59Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Not to the same level as Romney. Yes, yes, I know. Conservative persecution complex and all that. Uh… I mean… [Really?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_citizenship_conspiracy_theories) ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/117 "2012-09-18T06:18:58Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Uh… > > I mean… > > [Really?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_citizenship_conspiracy_theories) Because a conspiracy theory is the same thing as the media latching onto every perceived gaffe, right? No, actually, it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/118 "2012-09-18T06:21:51Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Because a conspiracy theory is the same thing as the media latching onto every perceived gaffe, right? No, actually, it’s not. Obama doesn’t make as many stupid mistakes. If you want people to make up stupid mistakes and take him to task for them, watch FOX News. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/119 "2012-09-18T06:23:20Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > I see a no True Scottsman Fallacy. > > But, no, he didn’t dismiss half the country. He said there’s no use in trying to win their votes. In elections, that’s true. There isn’t a single presidential candidate who has tried to win 100% of the electorate. I mean, just look at the DNC-- clearly not aimed at everyone. His quote was: > [@](#): > > “My job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.” As a presidential _candidate_, the only thing he has to convince people to do is to vote for him. As _President_, he can go ahead and “convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.” You might claim he wasn’t speaking as “President Romney”, but I don’t see what the quote has to do with his job as _candidate_. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007/120 "2012-09-18T07:06:47Z")
This is Romney’s biggest blunder yet which is saying a lot. His statements are stupid on so many levels, both substantive and political. 1. The 47% may not pay federal income taxes but they play a lot of other taxes. 2. Many of these 47% do in fact vote for Republicans. The white working class is a crucial demographic which Romney desperately needs but Romney is doing a fantastic job of alieanating them. 3. If you take his words seriously, Romney is a certain loser which isn’t the smartest thing to say at a fund-raiser. At one point he says the president starts off with a “huge number”, 48,49%. How is Romney planning to win then? Does he believe that everyone in the remaining 51% will vote for him? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-romney-tapes-thoughts-as-to-how-theyll-affect-the-election/635007.md?page=7)