Mitt Romney had this remarkable message for the members of the NAACP who booed him when he told them he'd repeal the Affordable Care Act:
Remind them of this: If they want more stuff from government, tell them to go vote for the other guy—more free stuff. But don't forget, nothing is really free.
Rachel Maddow reported on Romney's remarks tonight, which he made at a fundraiser in Hamilton, Montana. Maddow sourced the comments to a pool report.
Romney has been accused of hoping to get booed during his speech at the NAACP in order to drum up right-wing support, and as Maddow pointed out, these latest comments lend support to that theory.
"It seemed like Mitt Romney wanted to get booed at the NAACP this morning," Maddow said. "He wanted to wear that around his neck like a badge of courage. It looks like he is not wasting any time in doing so."
And later on The Last Word, Goldie Taylor of The Grio had a more visceral response to Romney's comments.
"That tells me all I need to know now about Mitt Romney, who at first I believed is just disconnected," Taylor said. "Now I know his problem is much bigger than that."
Late Update, 7/12/12, 9:20am: Here's the full context for Romney's comment, from the pool report:
By the way, I had the privilege of speaking today at the NAACP convention in Houston and I gave them the same speech I am giving you. I don't give different speeches to different audiences alright. I gave them the same speech. When I mentioned I am going to get rid of Obamacare they weren't happy, I didn't get the same response. That's ok, I want people to know what I stand for and if I don't stand for what they want, go vote for someone else, that's just fine. But I hope people understand this, your friends who like Obamacare, you remind them of this, if they want more stuff from government tell them to go vote for the other guy-more free stuff. But don't forget nothing is really free.
It's worth noting that Romney has used versions of the "free stuff" formulation before, in contexts unrelated to the NAACP or the ACA. For instance, in March he said something similar about those who want "free birth control." But in this case, it's clear he was responding quite directly to those who booed him at the NAACP.
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I am so happy Mitt was booed by the NAACP! They should boo him. I heard a comment earlier on one of the informative MSNBC programs regarding African-American men not being allowed to hold a priesthood in the Mormon Church. I grew up in the Mormon Church & African-American WERE NOT ALLOWED to be members of the church period, never mind holding a priesthood. My mouth dropped when I heard within the past decade or so that African-Americans could be members! I say they allowed them to attend as members to get more tithing for the church. I do not trust Mitt, his agenda has a secret window that only his V.I.P's in gold rolls get to see the truth. We only get to see the slide show of the day!!!
Race is all some people know to say. It has been the safety net for so many that they really are so out of the loop as far as what is being said. If they don't want to hear all they can say is RACE. Really? Really? Isn't it time to get on with the discussion? I am always surprised that some people can make a living and be so shallow.
It is amazing that you can't support one thing that you said. You think they wanted more money. Wait, I thought these were the people that had all the money. After all if they are so racist why would they want that money. Again, you don't make sense.
I guess Mr. Mitt Romney really put his foot in his mouth this time !
Don't you mean....Again??? HAHAHA
HAHAHA--WOW I can see that whole thing went right over your head. HAHAHA
Is that what you think happened. Oh well, wake up my friend. His goal was accomplished.
To be fair, Romney has said this line about Obamacare in every stump speech. This is not related to the NAACP speech and is not a new line...
He has nothing to offer Blacks or any other Americans, unless you want to listen to more Trickle Down Fairy Tales. VOTE DEM 2012
Mitt is speaking the truth. America is fundamentally turning into a large mass of 'I must have free healthcare, a guaranteed job, as much free food as I want, and anything else I ask for'.
And working Americans must pay for it. If you want to leech on Society vote Obama. It's really simple. You act surprised. You guys are the same ppl that cheated on your tests and never did homework and expected an A+ in class didn't you!?!
your killin us! grow up leeches!
Finally, someone who speaks the truth!! AND people are sick of leeches-no matter what color they are!
No-one wants free healthcare - people want fair healthcare - they pay insurance and when they are ill - get care. How hard is that to follow. At the minute the first time they get sick they become a pre existing condition. The minute they are unemployed - no more health care.
Why not listen to what the ACA provides - rather than right wing nonsense about wanting something for nothing.
I'd rather have leeches than rabid wolves!
Topless Anthony: I got the A+ and did the homework. And I think Romney has spent his life cheating, stealing, and propagating his religion. He is beyond ignorant; he knows better. Every modern country has some sort of National Health. I am willing to pay taxes so as not to see people dying of lack of care.
"America" is fundamentally being squeezed into a misshapen, dysfunctional, maleducated confederacy of dunces by a superrich elite that wants slaves, not peers and has directed media to make it so.
You are too stupid to believe.
I'll wager you are obese in girth and Ayn Randian in spirit.
I truly believe that America finally got to see the true Romney.
Poles were saying that 98%of African American were supporting President Obama It went to 100 %
He wanted to be booted so he could look good for the radical (R) and tea party!
I am surprise he got out of Houston!
You libs are pathetic, "I am surprised he got of Houston", all you show is how hypocritical you are. How would the media react with white saying that about Obama. You people are hateful and only want things handed to you, you want @!$%# for free, so he is right, these pathetic people don't want to get rid of their free meal ticket, but remember its these rich people that you liberals hate that pay for all your free stuff, think about it you morons!!
Little girls should not tell lies.
Romney's hiding his money in Bermuda. How's that for "paying for the rest of us" And have you listened to Warren Buffet? The rich have all kinds of tax loopholes the rest of us don't get.. so really.. you're gonna say "these rich people that you liberals hate that pay for all your free stuff" ... who's the moron?
Yea, and if you had any money that you worked to get, instead of it being handed to you, you would try to save it also. What? mad because you can't have some of his money? Get a job.
Troubling thing is neither of these tools is worth voting for.
Touche!
At least he showed up, where is Obama? He sends Joe Biden, really? He's a moronic buffoon! Oh wait, please send that idiot!
Moronic buffoons usually recognize each other.
I sooooooo agree Gloria. He has promised so much to so many and delivered NOTHING. It is hard to go and expect people to welcome you when you forget them after they vote.
O ye pandeja Gloria you dont know a damn thing you dump ass-wipe get an education before you just throw nonsense with no facts. You think the President is not doing anything you @!$%#ing @!$%# try running the country and keep this @!$%#ed up country safe bitch I cant stand fools who talk @!$%# just to put funk in the air. Dumb mother @!$%#er bitch!
There you go. Show your intelligence- what a great vocabulary you have.
Such hypocrisy. Romney had no problem getting "free stuff" from the government when he raided GS Technologies' pension funds and paid himself millions. That cost US taxpayers $44 million to shore up the pension funds Romney looted to line his own pockets. When is Romney going to pay back the $44 million he owes the American taxpayer?
More here: reut . rs / zMLpFy
Because of my staunch Christian beliefs, this election was becoming very difficult for me. Thanks, Mr. Romney for making it easy again!!! It is OBVIOUS that you do not need the African-American vote anyway!!
That's correct, he doesn't. The country is getting a little tired of all you hyphenated Americans anyway.
Really?! The only real Americans here, live on, or have family who lives on reservations. If you're white, and I'm sure you are, you're a European-American.
Nope. Sorry....I'm an American of German descent.
Dear Americans, Germany is no longer located in Europe.
LOOK THAT UP ... I swear reading all this crap is sooo sad.
Because of your "staunch Christian beliefs" you'll vote for the one who is the most radical pro-abortion candidate? Who not only thinks it's a "right" to kill babies at any stage of development, but also to force pro-life Americans to pay for it? The man who has directly attacked the foundational, God-given freedom of religion? Who supports sodomite "marriage" and the queering of the military? Who sends $1.5 billion of our money to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt while the blood of Christians runs in the streets and churches burn? I'd say if you call yourself a Christian, get on your knees and pray about this one, because Obama is an enemy of Christ and His Church, and an enemy of this country!
Speaking of free stuff - unemployed Romney 'earns' over $20 million per year, which he hides off-shore to avoid paying his fair share of taxes. But it's the formerly employed Americans struggling to survive on an average of $300/week temporary Unemployment Insurance (for 26 weeks) who are the problem?
We have over 25 million jobless Americans and a total of 3.6 million job openings, the vast majority of which are low wage, future-less jobs with no benefits. Even if all 3.6M jobs were filled today, we'd STILL have 22 million fellow Americans unable to work because THERE ARE NO JOBS.
Without 'free stuff,' what are these 22 million Americans supposed to do? How are they supposed to eat? Pay rent? Live a halfway decent life? Should we just pretend it's their fault they're in this situation, ignore them and hope they, I don't know, die?
Obama is not at NAACP because he knew he lied to them and couldn't look at their faces, funny how he comes on video screen which was sure recorded a week ago Just face the fact, you want keep being lie to and have no jobs and screw up heath care you have to pay extra taxes, then vote for Obama.
Mitt's arrogant, inflammatory, racially-charged political rhetoric gives the NAACP crowd the functional equivalent of the finger, conservative pundits applaud. The inherently racist and class warfare-inciting presumption that members of the NAACP are primarily interested in "more free stuff" simply perpetuates the ignorance-based stereotype of African Americans as being lazy parasites on society.
In any case, Romney doesn't worry about the problems of poor people … because there is a "safety net" … which he wants to defund … because people (including single, full-time moms) who depend upon financial assistance such as food stamps lack dignity … because you must be completely self-sufficient to have self-worth … unless you inherited vast wealth … in which case you are inherently highly dignified … because you are a person of power and authority … who gets to enjoy the sheer pleasure of firing people … which Mitt did countless times while running Bain Capital, creating huge profits … for himself and his fellow investors … at the expense of fired workers … who, as a result, often joined the growing ranks of poor people in America … which Mitt doesn't worry about.
Let us subtract the difference between the Democratic "welfare" programs FROM the enormous amount of BILLIONS paid out to "Republican WELFARE programs" (under more hidden and CUTER name,s to look less suspicious)! Let us also consider WHICH of these recipients has the actual need for assistance: is it the poor, or is it the multi-billionaire energy companies and other corporative drains, for their financial enrichment?? The Republican amount of WELFARE horrifically outweighs the skeleton amount paid to the truy needy, yet THE needy are the ones getting stigmatized, while the multi-billionaire Republican WELFARE recipients BRAG about their hauls!
P.S. See my buck? I am a DEMOCRAT! And, regardless of WHAT the NRA wants gullibles to believe for the Republican vote, ALL of us will be keeping our guns/rifles.
Greetings! Mr. Sharpton
I believe that the comment is misguided, and insensitive and foolish to generalize a group of people. Which shows that he is out of touch, not sensistive to the views of others and is only concerned about himself.
Peace be unto you!
Marquest Burton
he is a bigot,THEY! THE WORD HE USE WAS THEY.....Romney responds to NAACP booing: 'If they want more stuff from the govt. tell them to go vote for the other guy'....they..i wonder who is "THEY"?!
Listen, Jillian, these people are plenty in favor of free stuff.
You and I have to pay for someone to come to our places and pick up our garbage. But Mitt Romney and the Republicans want others to have free garbage service - they want these others to be able to dump their garbage into our air, our streams, our lakes, our oceans, and our air. For free. And when it comes time to clean up the mess that they have made, Mitt and the Republicans want these others to get the clean up for free - from the government.
These others are knows as multinational corporations.
And Mitt and the Republicans don't call it "getting free stuff from the government;" they call it "regulatory reform."
If you or I run a stop sign and injure someone, we have to be responsible for the losses suffered by the person we injure - their medical bills, their lost earning capacity, and so on. But Mitt Romney and the Republicans want others who injure people with the dangerous drugs and other products to not have to pay for the losses they inflict. They want those others to be able to injure people for free. Often, governments pay for the medical expenses and lost wages and other losses of these victims..
These others are knows as multinational corporations.
And Mitt and the Republicans don't call it "getting free stuff from the government;" they call it "lawsuit reform."
If you and I want to operate a business, we have to save money, or borrow money, to start that business, and we have to earn enough money from operating the business to maintain its operation. But Mitt Romney and the Republicans want others to get free money - such as tax credits - to operate their businesses.
These others are knows as multinational corporations. Such as big oil companies and big coal companies.
And Mitt and the Republicans don't call it "getting free stuff from the government;" they call it "tax reform."
This could go on and on - mine safety, other workplace safety, food safety.
The Republicans love to preach personal responsibility to others. They then spend a great deal of their time and money trying to escape responsibility for their actions. They hide from responsibility behind devices such as the corporate fiction and lobbyists and social welfare organizations.
The Kochs aren't flushing all of that money down the toilet. They are spending it. Expecting a return.
Freedom from responsibility.
And free stuff from the government.
Gayle12: A brilliant summation of the Republicans' "getting free stuff from the government"!
Romney is an 'ARROGANT BIGOT'.His address to the NAACP is a ploy to impress his 'head shaking', ignorant right wing (loonies) of his party that he has the balls to tell this NAACP audience things that stir up his right wing fringe.
A romney presidency will be 'Disaster' for the US.
Very interesting and refreshing to find someone willing to Speak the truth.
I LIKE IT!!!!!!! Keep speaking up for whats right!
Remember, Obama can't do it all by himself. It is time to remember that every member of the House of Representatives is running for election. Not to mention, one third of the Senate. We need to yank all the murdering Teabaggers and phony Conservatives right out of the legislative branch. Otherwise the same shameful fraternity party will continue.