Romney: Obama won with 'gifts' to certain voters

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/romney-obama-won-gifts-certain-voters-005251548--election.html

By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL | Associated Press – 25 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is telling top donors that President Barack Obama won re-election because of the "gifts" he had already provided to blacks, Hispanics and young voters and because of the president's effort to paint Romney as anti-immigrant.

"The president's campaign, if you will, focused on giving targeted groups a big gift," Romney said in a call to donors on Wednesday. "He made a big effort on small things."

Romney said his campaign, in contrast, had been about "big issues for the whole country." He said he faced problems as a candidate because he was "getting beat up" by the Obama campaign and that the debates allowed him to come back.

In the call, Romney didn't acknowledge any major missteps, such as his "47 percent" remarks widely viewed as denigrating nearly half of Americans, his lack of support for the auto bailout, his call for illegal immigrants to "self-deport," or his change in position on abortion, gun control and other issues. He also didn't address the success or failure of the campaign's strategy of focusing on the economy in the face of some improvement in employment and economic growth during the months leading up to Election Day.

Obama won the popular vote by about 3.5 million votes, or 3 percent, and won the Electoral College by a wide margin, 332-206 electoral votes. Exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks showed that Obama led Romney by 11 percentage points among women and won better than 7 of 10 Hispanic voters and more than 9 of 10 black voters.

Romney called his loss to Obama a disappointing result that he and his team had not expected, but he said he believed his team had run a superb campaign. He said he was trying to turn his thoughts to the future, "but, frankly, we're still so troubled by the past, it's hard to put together our plans for the future."

Romney's finance team organized the call to donors. A person who listened to Romney's call provided details about it to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the call was private. The Los Angeles Times first reported Romney's remarks.

Among the "gifts" Romney cited were free health care "in perpetuity," which he said was highly motivational to black and Hispanic voters as well as for voters making $25,000 to $35,000 a year.

Romney also said the administration's promise to offer what he called "amnesty" to the children of illegal immigrants — what he termed "the so-called DREAM Act kids" — helped send Hispanics to the polls for Obama.

Young voters, Romney said, were motivated by the administration's plan for partial forgiveness of college loan interest and being able to remain on their parents' health insurance plans. Young women had an additional incentive to vote for Obama because of free contraception coverage under the president's health care plan, he said.

"I'm very sorry that we didn't win," he told donors. "I know that you expected to win. We expected to win. We were disappointed; we hadn't anticipated it."

Romney said he and his team were discussing how his donor group could remain connected and have an influence on the direction of the Republican Party and even the selection of a future nominee — "which, by the way, will not be me."

Asked about Romney's remarks, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a potential contender for the GOP nomination in 2016, strongly condemned those in the GOP who classify voters based on income, race or age and said the party cannot concede wide swaths of voters and expect to win elections.

"We have got to stop dividing the American voters," Jindal told reporters in Las Vegas, where the Republican Governors Association was meeting.

"We need to go after 100 percent of the vote, not 53 percent. We need to go after every single vote."

Edited November 15, 2012 by Bad_Daddy

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So he confirms that the 47% remarks that ended whatever chance he may have had to become President were genuine and straight from the heart. He also confirms that he LIED about actually wanting to be President of all Americans. Go retire, Mitt. Nobody will actually miss you. Or remember you, for that matter.

Edited November 15, 2012 by Mr. Big Dog

[Penny Lane 8,159]

So he confirms that the 47% remarks that ended whatever chance he may have had to become President were genuine and straight from the heart. He also confirms that he LIED about actually wanting to be President of all Americans. Go retire, Mitt. Nobody will actually miss you. Or remember you, for that matter.

He confirms and provides another example of what's wrong with the Republican party. This attitude was rejected by the American people, and will continue to be rejected for as long as Republicans continue to disrespect the citizens of the country it wants to lead.

Stop painting every Democrat or Obama supporter with the same, wide, inaccurate brush. People who abuse the system and are only in it to get "free stuff" are not the majority of people who voted for Obama. They do not represent them.

And I know the ridiculous people in this forum are applauding because their hero Mitt actually voiced their ignorant views, despite facts and reality. Again, an example of why this party is failing and will continue to fail. The majority they cater to does not exist.

Look within your own party instead of trying to find other people to blame for your failures. Isn't the Republican party the people who want to take personal responsibility for their lives? For the last week, I've heard nothing but whining and finger pointing.

[Darnell 8,478]

Keep at it, Mitt. It ain't over till the Electoral College is finished.

You still have some time to campaign, if'n your researchers get the names of EC fellas.

remember - BIG GIFTS to the EC voters can overcome SMALL GIFTS to the general voters.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Mitt Romney said President Barack Obama won by showering "gifts" on women, African American and Hispanic supporters, in his first published remarks since conceding last week's election.

The remarks came as Republicans have called for greater outreach to women and minorities after their unexpectedly lopsided defeat, and drew an angry response from Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, a rising star in the party.

A little over a week after the election, Romney accused Obama of following the "old playbook" by bestowing favors on key Democratic constituencies in exchange for their support.

"In each case they were very generous in what they gave to those groups," he said in a phone call with his national finance committee on Wednesday.

"With regards to the young people, for instance, a forgiveness of college loan interest was a big gift."

Obama garnered 51 percent of the popular vote to Romney's 48 percent, and won decisively in the state-by-state Electoral College, where he earned 332 votes to Romney's 206.

Romney's post-mortem, reported by the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, echoed controversial remarks he made to donors at a private fundraiser, denigrating the "47 percent" of US voters whom he said pay no income tax.

Those comments in May, secretly recorded and released months later, confirmed some voters' views that the multi-millionaire former venture capitalist was an elitist who cared only about the rich.

Romney told the donors on Wednesday's conference call that Obama "made a big effort on small things," while his own campaign had been about "big issues."

Among the gifts Romney said Obama gave to his backers were "free contraceptives," which were very big with college-aged women.

The president's controversial health care reform plan was another campaign gift that helped secure the youth vote, Romney said.

Under Obama's plan, anyone 26 or younger could be part of their parents' health care plan "...and that was a big gift to young people," Romney said.

"They turned out in large numbers, a larger share in this election even than in 2008."

For Latinos, "free health care was a big plus," Romney said during the 20-minute call.

"The amnesty for children of illegals, the so-called 'Dream Act' kids, was a huge plus for that voting group," he added. He was referring to an executive order earlier this year allowing undocumented youths to temporarily remain legally in the United States.

Romney, a conservative Mormon and the former governor of left-leaning Massachusetts, won over elderly voters in the November 6 election and earned a definitive 59 percent of the white vote.

But minorities rallied around Obama, with 93 percent of African Americans, 71 percent of Hispanics and 72 percent of Asians voting for his re-election.

The dramatic imbalance -- particularly among the fast-growing Latino community -- has led many Republicans to call for greater outreach and for the party to adopt a more moderate position on immigration.

Jindal, speaking at a Republican governors conference in Las Vegas, denounced Romney's claim about Obama's election tactics. "I absolutely reject that notion."

"I think that's absolutely wrong," he was quoted as saying by CNN.

"I don't think that represents where we are as a party and where we're going as a party," he said. "That has got to be one of the most fundamental takeaways from this election."

Jindal, a US-born son of Indian immigrants who governs a staunchly conservative Southern state, is seen as a potential 2016 presidential candidate.

Romney's campaign team had predicted he would win handily in last week's vote, and numerous polls had said the election would be too close to call.

"I'm very sorry that we didn't win," he told his backers on Wednesday.

"I know that you expected to win, we expected to win. We were disappointed with the result. We hadn't anticipated it, and it was very close, but close doesn't count in this business."

Romney said he and his campaign advisers were still sorting out what their futures would hold.

"Now we're looking and saying, 'OK, what can we do going forward?'" he said.

"But frankly we're still so troubled by the past, it's hard to put together our plans for the future."

Copyright (2012) AFP. All rights reserved.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/romney-obama-won-by-showering-gifts-2012-11#ixzz2CIE4LKkU

[Penny Lane 8,159]

There's a reason Romney lost decisively.

[lostinblue 1,989]

"Not giving any rights to minorities " I missed this idea during the election. Could you post a link where he said this.

[justashooter 430]

There's a reason Romney lost decisively.

1.5% is not decisive, by any statistical analysis.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

1.5% is not decisive, by any statistical analysis.

1.5%? You need to re-do your math if you're referring to the popular vote.

Winning 8 of 9 battleground states is decisive.

332 electoral votes to 206 is decisive.

Edited November 15, 2012 by Evylin

[Niels Bohr 72]

As an Asian American who is very educated withdrew this type of conclusion from his statements. From my perspective, that is what he's saying. He's saying to me that I'm small, not important, and not worth the time.

So, what you posted is my opinion.

"Not giving any rights to minorities " I missed this idea during the election. Could you post a link where he said this.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So Mitt lied when said that his 47% remarks were misunderstood. They were understood just fine. Good thing he got his ####### handed to him. And the longer he stays on the national stage, the longer he speaks, the more Republicans will get their arses handed to them, too. Keep it coming, Mitt. Keep it coming.

[justashooter 430]

1.5%? You need to re-do your math if you're referring to the popular vote.

Winning 8 of 9 battleground states is decisive.

332 electoral votes to 206 is decisive.

i love you like a child, sister. that's why i am so gentle with you.

my daughter is your age, and just as misguided, sometimes. it's a process of maturation you are both going thru.

the best i can do is give you consistent guidance, and let you fail enuf times until you begin to hear.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

i love you like a child, sister. that's why i am so gentle with you.

my daughter is your age, and just as misguided, sometimes. it's a process of maturation you are both going thru.

the best i can do is give you consistent guidance, and let you fail enuf times until you begin to hear.

Did I write something incorrect? Did Obama not win by more than 1.5%? Did he not win 8 of 9 battleground states? Did he not win 332 to 206 in electoral votes? If I'm clearly misguided, please right my wrongs for me.

Though I'll have a hard time taking guidance from someone who writes "enuf" and "thru"...

Edited November 15, 2012 by Evylin

[justashooter 430]

Did I write something incorrect? Did Obama not win by more than 1.5%?

he won by 3%. if 1.5% of people had voted differently, he would not have won. simple math. 1.5% of people were wrong.

then there are the obvious incidences of fraud, with 109% returns, and entire districts of people not yielding a single romney vote. statistical probabilities being what they are, these are impossibilities that defy logic and smack of fraud.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

he won by 3%. if 1.5% of people had voted differently, he would not have won. simple math. 1.5% of people were wrong.

then there are the obvious incidences of fraud, with 109% returns, and entire districts of people not yielding a single romney vote. statistical probabilities being what they are, these are impossibilities that defy logic and smack of fraud.

Oh. Okay then.