Romney: 47 Percent Of Americans “Are Dependent Upon Government”

Mother Jones Releases Video Of Mitt Romney's 47 Percent Comments. Mother Jones obtained and released video of Mitt Romney speaking at a fundraiser telling donors that there are 47 percent of Americans “who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims” and that he won't try to convince them to support him:

There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, 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. That 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. [Mother Jones, 9/17/12]

Conservative Media Agree With Romney And Encourage Him To Repeat His Comments On The Campaign Trail

Fox's Stuart Varney: “Governor Romney Is Correct In That Latest Tape That's Been Released.” On Fox & Friends, Stuart Varney voiced his support for the comments and said that Romney “identified the truth”:

GRETCHEN CARLSON (co-host): I feel that you cannot use this election cycle comparing it historically. Because historically everyone says, well, a president is never reelected when unemployment's over 8 percent. But I think this time it's different. I think some of these numbers don't matter as much to the American people precisely because of the amount of government handouts that are currently being given out 

STUART VARNEY: You mean half the population --

CARLSON: Yes.

STUART VARNEY: Governor Romney is correct in that latest tape that's been released. Half the population is living off the other half and will vote for President Obama. Therefore, the lousy economy doesn't matter.

[...]

VARNEY: I think what Governor Romney did was identify the truth. This is an entitlement nation. That is accurate. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 9/18/12]

Fox's Brian Kilmeade: “I Would Love” For Romney's Remarks “To Be A Message For Any Candidate On The Stump. Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade applauded Romney's comments, adding that he'd like them to be ”a message for any candidate on the stump."  [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 9/18/12]

Dick Morris: Romney Gets It Right. Dick Morris wrote at FoxNews.com that Romney stated a “fundamental truth” when talking about entitlements:

[T]he fact remains that an Obama reelection would turn the tide psychologically in America from the land of upward mobility through hard work and initiative and toward a country akin to Greece: dependent on government aid in the form of a subsidy and government handouts. 

By stating this fundamental truth, albeit off the record, Romney has done a service for which he should be praised not excoriated. [FoxNews.com, 9/18/12]

The Drudge Report: “Romney Gets Real: Obama Supporters 'Dependent On Government.' ” The Drudge Report promoted the video billing it as “Romney Gets Real”:

[Drudge Report, 9/18/12]

Fox Nation: “Romney Gets Real.” Fox Nation echoed the Drudge Report with a similar headline:

[Fox Nation, 9/17/12]

Breitbart.com: “I Wish Romney Would Talk This Way On The Campaign Trail.” Breitbart.com's John Nolte wrote that his first response to the video was, “Gee, I wish Romney would talk this way on the campaign trail.” He continued:

[I]t's unfortunate Romney would choose to bring up this issue behind closed doors instead of every freakin' day on the campaign trail.  

The media is gearing up to beat Romney senseless with these videos, but if I were him, I'd make my own campaign commercial using those numbers and point out how they've increased under President FailureTeleprompter. [Breitbart.com, 9/17/12]