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Subscribe to RSSIn his first interview since losing the 2012 presidential election, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney criticized President Obama’s early second-term performance and told Fox News Sunday that he’s still very much stung by his defeat.
“I look at what’s happening right now -- I wish I were there,” Romney told Chris Wallace, in a taping conducted last week in California. “It kills me not to be there, not to be in the White House doing what needs to be done.”
Related: Boehner: 'I don't think anyone quite understands' how sequester gets resolved
Romney criticized President Obama’s handling of the budget showdown engulfing Washington, saying, “We don’t have to have gridlock settings one after the other, on issue after issue.”
Romney, who campaigned largely on a promise that he would cut the debt and federal spending, said that the current debate over the nation’s fiscal course, including the so-called “sequester” cuts, represents a missed opportunity. “I see this as this huge opportunity, and it’s being squandered by politics, by people who are more interested in a political victory than they are in doing what’s right for the country. And it’s very frustrating.”
Former Gov. Mitt Romney calls the controversial statement "unfortunate" and admitted that it was "harmful" to his campaign.
His wife, Ann Romney, conceded that she was not fully over the election defeat. "It would have been much better for America, I believe, in my heart if he had been there right now." When asked what she thought about President Obama’s campaign, Mrs. Romney told Wallace “I think it was a winning campaign. It worked.” Wallace asked her if she thought the president’s campaign was fair, and she quickly responded that she did not, and that Obama had distorted public perception about her husband, who she called an “exceptional, wonderful person… that really, truly cared about the American people.”
Romney also allowed he made some mistakes during the course of his campaign. One issue that plagued him at the end of his run was the release of a secretly recorded video showing him speaking at a fundraiser, in which he said that 47% of Americans would vote for the president no matter what, as they were “dependent on the government.” He told Wallace that the statement was “very harmful” and “not what I believe.”
House Speaker John Boehner tells Meet the Press moderator that the House will act on a continuing resolution to keep the government open.
“There’s no question that hurt and did real damage to my campaign,” Romney admitted.
At the same time, however, Romney said that the “attractiveness” of the president’s health care plan was “a feature that we underestimated, particularly among” low-income voters.
The couple were asked what it has been like to be out of the public eye, without the massive staff, security and press entourage that was with Romney's campaign at every move. Ann Romney called the abrupt change an "adjustment, but it’s one that I think we did well."
Romney is making his first public address in two weeks, at C-PAC, a conservative group's annual conference in Washington, D.C. He told Fox that while he was not expecting the Republican party to necessarily hang on of his every word going forward, he does still want to be involved. “I’m not going to disappear,” he said. “I care about America. I care about the people that can’t find jobs.”
The interview was filmed at the home of Romney's youngest son, Craig, in the San Diego area. Craig and his wife, Mary, just welcomed newborn twins, Winston and Eleanor, two weeks ago, bringing the total number of grandchildren to twenty, a reality that was on the former candidate’s mind when discussing current events and his future plans.
“I care about my twenty grandkids – the kind of America they’re going to have. And sitting in the sidelines when so much is at stake is just not in my nature,” Romney told Wallace.
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Mitt Romney....shut the hell up! IF you were President, the Republicans wouldn't be stonewalling and causing this sequester mess at all. You AREN'T President, so quit with the crystal ball act and try supporting the President you DO have! Utter nonsense.
A far better man than what we have in the White House.
Far better because he's a clueless plutocrat? Far better because he has more wealth? Far better because he's a member of the GOP (Grandpa's Old Party)? Far better because he can't hold to one belief longer than a single 24-hour news cycle? Far better because he can't decide which right-wing faction's pathetic and withering ideology to support? Far better my a — — !
Really!! You hide your money in offshore accounts and don't pay your taxes, Really! Ethics,Morales, ever hear of those words "The Party of Family Values" what Values are you talking about?? Better Man????
His tax returns for 2011 showed he paid $1,935,708 in Federal Taxes alone!
How much did you pay?
Doesn´t this guy get it?. It was probably the worst election lost a political party has ever have. Didn´t this guy read the results after he lost?. Isn´t this guy listening to America. "GET LOST", "HAVE A LIFE". GO. LEAVE. SAYONARA. BON VOYAGE. Are you still there?
Defaults have occurred upon Social Security Benefits, that's a Federal and State crime in any state in the Union....all are jurisdicated and legally-requierd to make the Enforcements upon these Default-Orders/Warrants!!! (Trials Entailing Only That They Defaulted, As A Default IS A CRIME/VIOLATION for which debts/funds have certainly been stolen, EVERYTIME)!!!
Anyone would be better than our current Divider in Chief.
Romney's grandkids have nothing to worry about. They will lead a charmed life as Grandpa is worth about $250 Million. What about families struggling to make ends meet? This is all sour grapes; they lost the election and badly. Romney's election wouldn't have made a difference; the inequality gap in this country is huge and he would have made it wider.
who knows? If Romney had come clean on his taxes and put forth budget plan with specifics that actually added up and hadn't pandered so much to the tea party crazies, he might be the one making decisions.
good luck keep borrowing 40% of what the gov spends each year and see how much longer that works. well it's worked every year since obama was first elected president and it's forecast for the remaining four years then what? $20+ trillion in debt, twice the amout it took all other presidents combined to amass, hey no problem, really?
They're both still freakin' clueless, aren't they?
So, the "47%" comment Romney made in what he thought was a private speech to his well-heeled supporters in Boca Raton, FL, is not what he really believes, according to what he now says? Does anyone on God's green earth have a clue as to what Mitt Romney actually believes? Does he believe in anything? Does he have any values whatsoever to which he adheres for more than one news cycle? Does he have any shame? Apparently not, and for the betterment of our country I believe he should just go away to his estate in La Jolla, CA, and live out his life with his family and his incredible wealth. He is no longer on the U.S. political scene. On the other hand, the more he talks, the more he hurts the GOP (Grandpa's Old Party), so maybe he SHOULD continue spewing his ambiguous and contradictory blather!
Wow. It looks like good ole Mitt is still living in his Republican Alternate Reality, the same fake world that he and his team actually believed existed . I can't remember a politician so completely out of touch with reality than Mitt Romney. Let him go on telling himself whatever he needs to make himself feel better after his crushing defeat. There is NO WAY IN THE HIGH HEAVENS that a Romney presidency would have magically solved our country's problems in the time since the election, as he clearly believes would have happened. But of course, President Obama should have fixed everything overnight and is solely to blame for the federal cuts. Yah, no Republican is responsible for the stalemate in Washington, just Obama. For the intellectually-challenged, that was sarcasm at its finest. President Obama only has the good of the country and its citizens (all citizens and not just wealthy ones) on his mind, straight and center. We Americans are going to continue to hurt some in the coming months, maybe years, but we will get to where we need to be again,especially since Obama is currently at the helm of our ship instead of that out-of-touch Romney.
Man did we srew up again and put the wrong guy in charge; PBO hasnt done crap on Unemployment, he has rasied our taxes (plus i have governor in illinois who did the same), no job creatation; plus this president doesnt respect our laws to protect US citiznes, lets four US Citizens get killed in Bengazhi and covers it up, lets 100's of people who broke our US laws by coming into the country illegally out of jail (WTF), (remember Jamelle Shaw, LA California) its shows this president has no leadership skills and lacks respect for US Citizens, where i think Romney would have got this country going in the right direction.
WOW....they didn't crash your post. Thankfully somebody thinks like me. I still want to see him (O) tried for TREASON for aiding the enemy in the NON-action in Bengazhi. +Biden, +Clinton+Peneta. THEY are the CRIMINALS. ....and yes, in the cover up. We also need to string up Brian Williams of NBC, Scott Pelly of CBS and Diane Sawyer of ABC. ALL these people are phoney.
Thanks lets face, i think a lot of people chose against mitt Romney because of his race; who vote for a guy where unemployment has been 8, raise taxes, want to raise estate taxes on monies that for family members after death, didnt do thing about Benghazi covered it up; who think is ok or cool to end life after partal birth, divided this country to where its worse now than it has ever been. I biggest issue with PBO this guy doesn't respect the US citizen, doesn't give @!$%# if you are a US citizen or not, if you can make to our country you can vote, and vote his agenda where you get benefits for not working (read about Chino, Ca) who would really vote for that......accept if there was something hidden underneath; I know Chris Mathews and his band of merry men and women think all republicans are racist, but i think the dog whistles are really my the left, its the reason i changed from being Dem to Ind.
nope, no one crashed your post, but no one agreed with it either.
Let's not forget romneys "package" included ryan......enough said?
There is only one reply for Mitt.....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Pathetic, plutocratic loser.
Just what we need..........another corrupt politition in washington. Republican? DEMOCRAT? Makes no differance at all. When are all you idiots going to wake up and smell what you have been shoveling into congress? If you vote for these scumbags, you have nothing to complain about. Thank you so much for allowing these corrupt, rich, criminal jerkoffs to screw up all our lives.
SMARTEN UP.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People put Mitt down because he's human. He made mistakes for sure. But so has everyone. I don't know that he knows all the answers. But I do believe he would have been a better person to have at the head of our government than the current person.
I think that one of the things he credited with hurting his campaign was somewhat true. For the people who are reliant on the government for the benefits and income they receive the democratic party is the only way for them to go. But anyone with an IQ above room temperature knows that we have to do something about the entitlement programs. We have to. That would mean a lot of people will have to sacrifice, including me perhaps. But I'm willing to allow that to happen if it will lead to us being a stronger and more financially independent United States.
We have to change that mentality so prevalent in this country that seems to think it's alright to get as much as possible for free without working for it. There is a cost. It's expensive and it means selling out our country. We do that by relying on the Chinese to buy our bonds and float our debt. We are in a terrible situation and if we don't change our attitude we will soon realize that this is in fact the end game for us.
I believe that there are a lot of people out there who do agree with what I'm saying. Maybe I haven't put it exactly the way it should be, but I think that my basic concept is correct. We ALL need to put our country before our own desires. We can be a great country again but it will take all of us to make it that way.
agree but you can't spew the sky is falling and the other guy is to blame all the time. it's nothing but bs and at some point no one except the truely-----will be listening.
your not there...the people of this country didn't want you...
Does this loser ever go away? Must we listen to him whine on and on why he lost? Isn't it obvious? Man up and grow a pair.
Obama and his media has brought out his troops now. I wonder if Candy Crowley will start her $#!+ now.
@ Mitt Rmoney: We are glad that you are NOT there. Go away...
Most Americans will wish Romney was in office in the near future, instead of the anti-America racist, black Marxist
Romney still does not get it!
He made $25 million a year, pay a 13% average tax. A person making $30,000 a year pays a 30% tax or twice the rate of Romnety / a guy who makes $25 million year. Whe n Asked... Is that fair that he pays 13% tax he said yes!!!
The Republican Party is 100% about making sure that the 1% and corporations do not pay any / their fair shar f taxes. Just loook @ graphs..1.) The % of taxes paid of Federl taxes and the taxes by the rich versus the poor. In both cases the taxes paid by the rich and corporations have been cut in half over the last 30 years. The taxes on the "little people" what use to be the Middle Class have doubled over the last 30 years. Oh yeah!!! lets no forget that Bush and Republicans put a bounty on firing American employees by giving a tx break to corporations / the rich that fire American workers and send their jobs overseas. The law is still in effect!
Hey Repulicans stop your war o the 99% and we might vote for you! Never happen.. Even the redm=neck Republicaans are starting to figure out that the Republicans could care less about NRA and bible bangers. Oh no Republicans politicans only care about the 1% and and the Corporate criminal elite. The Republican Party must be stopped before we end up with a South American economy of the 1% own the 99% ... Oh wait a minute .. we are already there.
jealously will get you no where - - - get off your duff and run for office
Just looked at their 2011 return.
He paid $1,935,708 in Federal Taxes!!!!
How much did you pay??????????
jeff, you're a dumbass AND a troll. You realize that's the only return he released, and he made damn sure it was squeaky clean.
Better it kills him not being president, then us if he was.
When will the Romney clown act finally disappear so the next batch of Republican wanna-be's can get theeir clown cars on the road.
I thought Bishop Mitt Romney was running for Pope.