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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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Ever heard of unanswered prayers? well Mitt that is what you got! God was with the American people during this election, and you and Ann are right were you should be, YOU PEOPLE have some nerve! Lies and deceit caught up with you, I thank God every day for that! As for public deception, how about that welfare king crap you layed on Obama, his free gifts, that was totally not true, I cant wait for 2014 Obamacare, so I know longer have to worry about my pre-existing condition, and my children's health; I am not low income, but I guess compared to the Romney's, I am! They make me SICK!
god had nothing to do with it dirty politics and a man that reads a teleprompter about as well as he lies, and that's pretty good, is what won.
You are oh so right, God is giving the American people what they deserve. He's NOT blind to what His nation has become. Good luck with your new phone. Hope you don't have to use your new 200 free minutes calling an ambulance. What a sick @$$ nation we are. May God CONTINUE to be with you,..... let's see now, floods, droughts, etc., etc., etc., and famine, too, oh yeah, the gentiles HAVE taken you over and your leader is AWOL, but God is with you,....letting it all happen. ta-ta You will have NOTHING when this guy finishes with you. GOD SAYS SO ! ! ! You are obviously worshiping the god of this world.
His nation???? Are you kidding? Ever hear of Separation of Church and State? Religious Freedom?? Not everyone in this nation believes the same as you, nor are they required to.
Excuse me Mr. Romney, didn't your son state that you really never wanted to be President? Give us a break and just go away! You, who couldn't make a decision on anything and flipped flopped on so many issues no one knew where you were coming from. I was so stunned you even showed up again and now, here we go listening to your rhetoric about how much better you could have done if you were President and yet, depending on who was pulling your puppet strings, you could not come up with a process and stick by it. My head just spinned when I heard you speak, that is until you opened your mouth to let everyone know how you feel about 47% of the American Citizens who work harder than you do to make a living. You need to sit down and shut up!
Are you libs proud of that piece of $hit in the Whitehouse ?
rob, I am no lib, but Obama is head and shoulders better than anyone the repugs had to run against him. Talk about pieces of s***.
You are fooling yourself if you blame everything on one man, but that is all the repugnant party can do. Whine and cry and blame Obama. The dems are no better, but the blame game is moronic. We need to solve problems, not wring our hands like congress and the senate and do NOTHING!!
Better the piece of $hit we have than your piece of $hit.Go get your redneck NRA stupid button on.
I though Bush did it, but that's all the Demnuts party can do. Whine and cry and still blame Bush.
did romney say he wished he was there to stamp a blank check for the republicans or that he wished he was there because he missed his motorcade to his inauguration? poor poor mittens, cry me a river.
Mitt, just tell us how you paid "on average" 15% Income Tax over nine years.
That is all we want to hear from you.
I just looked at their 2011 returns.
They paid $1,935,708 in Federal Taxes alone.
How much did you pay???
As a percent of my income? Far more then Mitt did. I know ratios and percentages, and other concepts of math outside of the "more or less" realm are beyond you're comprehension level... but let's at least try to understand here.
Romney lost,
Enough said drop dead you greedy Mormon,,,,loser
Oh, mittens, which of your mansions have you been sobbing your little eyes out at? Your 20 grands and their silver spoons have nothing to worry about. You simply would have made it easier for the rich to get richer and f*** everyone else.
I am so glad you lost the election. I am not sold on Obama, but the repugs could not field one credible candidate so, once again, I had to vote for the lesser evil.
You lost, get over it and go away. Don't you have some corporations to buy, borrow into bankruptcy, and then close the doors? Or maybe you could volunteer at an animal shelter, euthanizing puppies.
You suck, the new republican party sucks, the democrats suck. Politicians are suppurating pustules on the buttocks of America. If we got rid of all career politicians, most of our problems would go away as well.
Mitt's pain and the pain of his wife are my pleasure. And the fact that they're unable to see why they lost is an enjoyable side too, because he whom the Lord despises, he first confuses.
He lost because, though he might deny it to the rafters, he's a serial liar who wants to finalize the imposition of a vicious and unjust social order upon the American people.
Matthew not-Bright.
Many of us voted just so you would not be there. Get a grip!
Some Humans ain't Human, Mr. Romney and Mr. Boehner its MIRROR time!!
Black bigots and liberals would vote for any darkie. I hate you POS.
rob, you truly are a retarded troll. You have nothing to offer, shut your gob and go sew a new clan robe and hood, your old one is stained with the sewage that spews out of your filthy mouth.
We are all, every one of us, descended from Africans. So your darkie reference is even more stupid.
lol,lol,lol,lol,lol,lol, I need a Biden moment: LOL,LOL,LOL,LOL,LOL,LOL! Haven't found a WHITEY who can do the JOB.
Ah,poor Ann Romney,just can't get over the fact her loser mitt lost,,I liked to see that,,,made me feel proud that I voted for obama
Well Obama told me he was going to get your 357 Bulletmadman
Hardcoffeeat6am, You threatening the President of the United States? You may be getting a visit from some very special people. Good luck with that!!! Look up into the sky if you see a Drone stay out of your home, lol,lol.
How much Romney's money has kept in foreign banks? Whwn he was governor, he traveled a lot with state's money and credential, when his people in his capital to work diligently to solve problems, and then he came home just for signing, then setting another trip..
And so is the problem, mitt and the gops have not gotten over the defeat and there making the people suffer by not doing there job, sore losers....fire them all.
Me too Mitt!
I see that the government thugs are out and at the top of this network list, yes oslambo won we get it. 330 million Americans and 65 million voted for him 265 million either didnt vote or to young to vote or voted for Romney thats the facts not a majority or most as he would say although he did say he wasnt good at math we all see that.
Obama voters are black bigots, losers, welfare recipients and the scum of the earth.
And three notches above anyone who would vote for romney
Then explain how you where born half blak,,,gang banged boy
And 20 notches above Rob-1288580
Mitt, a still tongue makes for a happy life. You lost the election. Have the courtesy to just SHUT THE EFF UP.
America is really the one who lost this election. Romney would have been a great president. So sad....
Ya,just like Bush,,,lmao
No, America did not lost the election, MITT DID! And for good reason(s), none of which you will ever see or agree to.
You have to admit. If Mitt had somehow managed to get himself elected, there would be no standoff in Washington right now. In fact, the only troublesome goings-on in congress (as well as the state of the union) is the fact that the GOP fails to admit defeat. Think Mitt's having a hard time swallowing that bitter pill? Take a look at the rest of GOP faithful - sticking by their talking points, propping up their corporations and continuing to attack the middle class. Ho hum. I guess that certainly would have all changed if Mitt had been elected because the Republicans would no longer be screaming and crying about the injustice of it all - rather, they'd be focusing those injustices on the American people. Mitt, I'm sure, blames Obama for not leading as the source of the current stalemate. Meanwhile, the House majority does everything in its power to stop the president (who was elected by a sound majority) from carrying out his agenda. And the economy is STILL recovering quite nicely. The housing market is STILL improving. Despite recent tax increases, the middle class is STILL on the mend. On the contrary, it must take a great leader to realize goals in the midst of such dissension. Mitt would only be leading us down the path of least resistance - playing on the role of the puppet and not the puppeteer. Which is exactly what happened during the Bush years. Pout as you may, Mitt - the rest of the nation breathes a collective sigh of relief every time your insignificant name pops up in a news piece. Thank God you weren't elected.
Go back to Disneyland Mitt. You are your own best fantasy. Nobody gives a @!$%# what you think, even your own party.
mitt the nit i am really glad you have all the answers it makes me feel good that a sniveling,cretin like you are now the worlds best know f*ck up why not just quietly go away and let the tea party and religeous bigots like yourself destroy your world peace to all you gentiles and i am not talking about the jews i am talking about the mormons good riddance you made you place in the world on election day 2012 than god for that
Mr Obama is the voters choice and I support him, however, from my side of the fence Mr Romney would have been a better choice for this nation's economy, culture, future, and enforcement of our immigration laws on the books. Mr. Obama lack of immigration law enforcement only rewards those who break our laws at the expense of our unemployed un-skilled and semi-skilled legal workers........that's just plain wrong!
OMG! Mitt, you are delusional. Like we all forgot what your "plans" were while on the campaign trail. The same GOP B.S. that wrecked this economy to begin with. Stomping on the middle class while you and your ilk can hide money off-shore. I'd say right about now, you would have us in another Cold War with the Russians or worse. You and Ann are still stung by the defeat...??!!? Really? Go back and examine the s*** your were peddling. You never had any good ideas and ran a Karl Rove style anti-Obama campaign full of lies and smears, while you flip-flopped on every issue, Mr. Etch-a-Sketch. And now you go on FIXED NEWS, the ANTI-AMERICAN network and whine!! He Mitt, please do us all a favor and just go spend your money and shut up! You're policies where and never will be good for America!!
Mr. Romney, I hope you learned a lesson from all this. You can't run a political campaign against Santa Claus and expect to win. Your party expects people to educate themselves and work hard so they can become self-reliant. The other party doesn't. Of course you lost the election with such unreasonable expectations being placed on the people.
If Romney's party is the one that expects people to educate themselves and work hard to become self reliant...then why is this the same party that tends to make cuts to education and sought to eliminate collage loans?