Unconcerned About the Poor? Romney gaffes again

Mitt Romeny may have made another gaffe today when he said, he's "Not concerned about the very poor," during an interview with CNN's Soledad O'Brien. While the context of his comment reveals he has regard for those at the bottom of the economic strata, it will likely become yet another soundbyte for his opponents. 

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Romney's full statement was, "I'm in this race because I care about Americans. 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 America, the 90-95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling."

Romney made clear that he felt the poor in the US have what he referred to as an "ample safety net" and that his focus would be the middle class. While this may - or may not be wise leadership, the statement itself is likely to be used by his opponents in the future. 

Additionally, the American middle class is much smaller than the 90-95 percent he quoted. 
Romney is becoming known for his soundbytes, which especially when taken out of context make him sound like he is out-of-touch with most Americans, a point that will be capitalized on by Obama if he becomes the Republican nominee. 

Previous statements include, "corporations are people," and "I like to fire people," and attempting to bet Texas Governor Rick Perry $10,000 during a debate. Regardless of context, these statements have been used repeatedly to set Romney apart from middle-class and poor Americans. 

Also not helping is the drummed-up controversy surrounding his taxes, and the very real fact that he pays less than 15 percent (despite its legality) which also sets him apart from most of the middle-class. 

Few Americans question the sincerity and integrity of Romney, but there is a clear perception that he is disconnected with the rest of the country. 

If Romney loses it will not likely be the result of scandal or controversy, it will be much simpler than that. Romney is struggling to connect with middle-America. Indeed, his very comment that he is focused on the middle-class is a nod in their direction, and a hand extended in an effort to court them during a very crucial time. His loss may be the result of trying much to hard to connect with the middle class, at the expense of the rest.

. 

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'