Romney: ‘If I Was Latino I’d Have a Better Shot at Winning This Thing’

Mitt Romney said Obama supporters are freeloaders who pay no taxes, who don't assume responsibility for their lives, and who think government should take care of them.

By Jorge Rivas Sep 17, 2012

On Monday afternoon Mother Jones published "secret video" of GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney telling a group of wealthy donors that Obama supporters are freeloaders who pay no taxes, who don’t assume responsibility for their lives, and who think government should take care of them.

Here’s what Romney said on tape:

There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax.

While that last comment is getting lots of media attention there are a few other winning quotes from Romney’s meeting with wealthy donors. Among them is the following, a quote from the video at the top of the page:

"My dad as you probably know was the governor of Michigan and was head of a car company. But he was born in Mexico. and uh, had he been born of uh, Mexican parents, I’d have a better shot at winning this thing."

He also made other controversial comments:

Romney: "I wish we weren’t unionized so that you can go a lot deeper that you’re actually allowed to go."

Romney: "Gosh I would like to bring in more legal immigrants."

Romney "I was born with a silver spoon".


In an emailed statement to Buzzfeed.com Obama campaign manager Jim Messina emailed the following statement: "It’s shocking that a candidate for President of the United States would go behind closed doors and declare to a group of wealthy donors that half the American people view themselves as ‘victims,’ entitled to handouts, and are unwilling to take ‘personal responsibility’ for their lives. It’s hard to serve as president for all Americans when you’ve disdainfully written off half the nation."