Category: Breaking News Written by Huffington Post

 

Just hours after Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's campaign attempted an image reboot on Monday, it found itself under attack over a clandestinely recorded video of the candidate describing nearly half the electorate as "dependent on government" because they don't pay federal income taxes, remarks first reported by The Huffington Post and Mother Jones.

 

President Barack Obama's campaign immediately pounced on Romney's claim about "the 47 percent," with campaign manager Jim Messina saying the former Massachusetts governor had "disdainfully written off half the nation."

 

And with at least one pundit suggesting that Romney had just lost the election, the candidate himself hastily called an unscheduled press conference. The substance of his awkwardly delivered response was that his "off-the-cuff" remarks at a May fundraiser in Boca Raton, Fla. were “not elegantly stated,” but that he stood by them.

 

However, many were unimpressed with the Republican candidate's unapologetic stance.

 

"Romney's explanation of his comments may be worse than the comments," said Politico's Roger Simon.

 

"The sickest thing here is that Romney did not, and won't, apologize or say he was wrong in any way," said liberal columnist Michael Tomasky.

 

When Romney chose Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as his vice-presidential running mate, the press predicted a substantial policy debate would ensue. Instead, the Romney camp has attempted to wage what some see as a genuine class war, explicitly dividing society along specific class lines.

 

 

Romney did find some comfort from conservatives after the video was leaked. Erick Erickson, the blogger who created a meme about "the 47 percent" in response to Occupy Wall Street's description of a struggle against "the one percent," suggested that Romney "should double down" because "most Americans agree" with him.

 

But it was small comfort. Bill Kristol, the conservative pundit whose machinations were crucial in Sarah Palin's 2008 vice-presidential nomination, gently joked that Romney should consider stepping down. He took to the Weekly Standard's blog to denounce Romney's comments as "arrogant and stupid."

 

It's worth recalling that a good chunk of the 47 percent who don't pay income taxes are Romney supporters—especially of course seniors (who might well "believe they are entitled to heath care," a position Romney agrees with), as well as many lower-income Americans (including men and women serving in the military) who think conservative policies are better for the country even if they're not getting a tax cut under the Romney plan. So Romney seems to have contempt not just for the Democrats who oppose him, but for tens of millions who intend to vote for him.

It remains important for the country that Romney wins in November (unless he chooses to step down and we get the Ryan-Rubio ticket we deserve!). But that shouldn't blind us to the fact that Romney's comments, like those of Obama four years ago, are stupid and arrogant.

 

Indeed: Has there been a presidential race in modern times featuring two candidates who have done so little over their lifetimes for our country, and who have so little substance to say about the future of our country?

 

Romney's remarks are those rare ones in politics that are even more jarring upon reading the full comment. "There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what," Romney says in one clip. "All right -- there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent on government, who believe that, that they are victims, who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them. Who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing."

 

He goes on. "[M]y job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives," Romney adds.

 

If Romney continues to stand by that assertion -- that nearly half of the country is beyond his capacity to redeem -- he risks alienating wide swaths of the electorate: from senior citizens who don't pay federal income taxes because they're exempt (and who largely vote Republican), to the unemployed who don't pay those taxes because they can't.

 

But Romney's caricature of half the country also misunderstands the ebb and flow of most people's lives. Someone who is jobless today, for instance, could have worked for a company that paid into the unemployment insurance system yesterday, and will do so again once they're employed. Most people who rely on public assistance do so for brief amounts of time when misfortune strikes. And unemployment income is taxable. To paint all of those people as "dependent on government" and therefore glued to Democrats is to call into question their basic worth as people striving to make a good life for themselves, their family and their community. It's a strange posture for a candidate asking for their vote.

 

It's also a rather extreme stand, and one contravened by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to assert that people are not entitled to, say, "food." According to the United Nations declaration, to which the United States is a signatory, "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control."

 

According to the Tax Policy Center, in 2011, 46 percent of households paid no federal income taxes. (According to Harry Reid, Mitt Romney has been among them in the past.) About half simply didn't make enough money to pay income tax. The other 38 million households are exempt from paying by a variety of specific tax deductions. Nearly half of that latter group, 44 percent, were the elderly eligible for tax breaks. Another 30.4 percent were exempt due to credits for children and the working poor -- breaks long championed by conservatives, most recently President George W. Bush.

 

Aside from the income tax issue, there are millions of Americans who use federal aid but don't see themselves as "dependent" on government. The active-duty soldiers and veterans who spent $100 million on military bases over the last year are just one example.

 

The perception that Romney's remarks showed a man out of touch with reality was worsened by the location of the closed-door fundraiser shown in the video: the private home of private equity manager Marc Leder. According to the New York Post, Leder once hosted a party at the Hamptons where "guests cavorted nude in the pool and performed sex acts, scantily dressed Russians danced on platforms and men twirled lit torches to a booming techno beat." A person with knowledge of Leder's parties confirmed the gist of them to The Huffington Post.

 

"Romney’s comment is a country-club fantasy," opined conservative columnist David Brooks of The New York Times. "It’s what self-satisfied millionaires say to each other. It reinforces every negative view people have about Romney."

 

New York Magazine's Jonathan Chait dubbed Romney a "sneering plutocrat" whose comments "disqualify his claim to the presidency." For TPM's Josh Marshall, it was a "fine distillation of the most rancid version of the libertarian conservative worldview." It was "absolutely devastating," Politico's Ben White concluded.

 

The mainstream media's most respected arbiters piled on. It was his "darkest hour as a candidate," said the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza.

 

For NBC's Chuck Todd, Romney has endured simply "a brutal last three weeks."

 

Clarification: Language has been amended to indicate that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, while the basis of much international law, is a non-binding document, and that employees in most states do not directly pay into the unemployment benefits system, employers do.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/18/mitt-romney-video-offends_n_1893343.html?ir=Black%20Voices&utm_hp_ref=black-voices

Add new comment

Category: Breaking News Written by Michigan Chronicle

 

LANSING, Mich. ‒ Gov. Rick Snyder today released a series of YouTube videos and a blog post discussing the six pending ballot proposals that citizens will decide on during the Nov. 6 general election.

 

“I respect the initiative process as a fundamental democratic right, but the proposed constitutional amendments in November’s election have potentially dangerous long-term consequences for Michigan,” Snyder said. “Enshrining these seriously flawed proposals within our constitution would roll back positive reforms that are helping reinvent our state, and I encourage citizens to view them with skepticism.”

 

Snyder also praised the state’s emergency manager law, which faces repeal under Proposal 1, citing the great progress it has already made in turning around financially struggling cities and school districts.

 

“Public Act 4 helps financially struggling cities and school districts to get back on track,” Snyder said. “If the emergency manager law were to go away, debt in those local units of government would continue to pile up, bills would go unpaid, paychecks may not be sent, lights could be turned off, police and fire protection might not be provided, and students would be at risk of not having a school to attend. Michigan needs this law because it helps those communities to efficiently and effectively overcome financial problems and avoid painful long-term solutions, and that is good for all Michiganders.”

 

There are six proposals on the November 6 ballot.

 

·         Proposal 1 will decide whether or not to keep Public Act 4 – the emergency manger law, which was passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Snyder to help financially struggling cities and schools efficiently and effectively get back on a solid financial footing.

 

·         Proposal 2 would put in the constitution the right to organize and bargain collectively through labor unions, eliminating hundreds of existing labor laws in the process. While benefitting only three percent of Michiganders if approved, it would roll back important reforms that help get control of deficits and out-of-control spending and that make sure schools can keep functioning, and that fire and police departments can keep protecting us.

 

·         Proposal 3 would force Michigan to have 25 percent of its electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2025, despite the state already having an unmet goal of generating 10 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2015. It would cost billions to implement, raise electric bills and make Michigan businesses less competitive.

 

·         Proposal 4 would undo a law signed by Gov. Snyder and force Michigan’s 60,000 home health care aides to join a labor union. Those workers would be forced to have union dues withheld on top of the $30 million that was already taken previously. Improving health care in Michigan is important but this is not the right way to improve health care and will be bad medicine for the people of Michigan.

 

·         Proposal 5 would require that any future increases of the tax rate or tax base be approved by either a two-thirds majority of the legislature or a statewide vote. The two-thirds amendment would be detrimental and could stand in the way of reforms that would help us reinvent Michigan. It would give special interests more power and influence and make it more difficult to fund schools, fix our roads, or make sure that our law enforcement officers have the tools they need to protect us. It would also negatively impact bond ratings agencies, which could raise Michigan’s interest costs and make the state look less attractive to job creators.

 

·         Proposal 6 would force a statewide vote for any bridge or tunnel project already under construction, not just the New International Trade Crossing, or any built thereafter. This proposal is really about protecting one billionaire and his special interest monopoly to the detriment of the rest of us, and the costs would be immense. We need the new bridge to Canada -- and a modern infrastructure -- if we want to reinvent Michigan and bring more and better jobs to our state. 

 

 

Add new comment

Category: News Briefs Written by WDIV

 

DEARBORN, Mich. -

Beginning in the fall 2013, students at University of Michigan-Dearborn will have a new option for housing - The Union at Dearborn.

 

The $30-million Urban Campus Communities (UCC) development located at 760 and 780 Town Center Drive, directly across Evergreen Road from the university campus, will include apartments for more than 500 students.

 

The 231,791 square-foot buildings that will be built on the property will be marketed to UM-Dearborn students and will feature space leased by the university for student life activities, including meeting rooms, student gathering spaces, group study rooms, offices for student organizations and a cabaret-style theater.

 

A public groundbreaking and community celebration will be held on site on Monday, Sept. 24, at 3 p.m.

 

“We are excited to be redeveloping this property in Dearborn, in collaboration with UM-Dearborn,” said Larry Winokur, managing member, UCC. “The Union at Dearborn is a great example of how successful public-private collaborations can work to enhance a community and bring new residents into the city. We are thrilled to be working with great Dearborn community institutions, like UM-Dearborn and Ford Land, to make this happen.”

 

“Our students have expressed an interest in housing for many years, so we are pleased that this development allows students the opportunity of adjacent housing to enhance their university experience,” said Daniel Little, chancellor, UM-Dearborn. “With the reduction of state funding and our commitment to minimizing tuition increases, this public-private collaboration will allow the university to continue to invest in its academic mission, while transforming the campus experience for all students. The Union at Dearborn also will provide greater access for students wishing to pursue a Michigan degree in southeastern Michigan.”

 

The Union at Dearborn also will bring a newly revived, 24/7 presence to the community, with economic growth expected for the surrounding businesses. “This is such an exciting development for the City of Dearborn,” said Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. “We are thrilled that UM-Dearborn students soon will be able to call Dearborn home throughout the year and we look forward to welcoming them to our community.”

 

Asset Campus Housing, a leader in the management of student housing facilities nationwide, will manage the property. Leasing is expected to begin in the coming weeks. Room styles will include fully furnished studios, two, three, and four-bedroom options. Final lease arrangements and rental rates will be available in the coming weeks. The facility will feature public laundry on each floor, as well as fitness and collaboration areas. Additional information is available at www.unionatdearborn.com.

 

UCC finalized the purchase of the property from Ford Land on Sept. 13, 2012. The development is privately owned and operated. It is not owned or operated by UM-Dearborn.

 

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/University-of-Michigan-Dearborn-unveils-plans-for-student-housing/-/1719418/16648358/-/ww8gf6z/-/index.html

Add new comment

Category: News Briefs Written by WWJ

 

AUBURN HILLS (WWJ) - More than a month after an accident that left him hospitalized, Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson has now been ticketed for failing to wear a seat belt.

 

Auburn Hills police officials said Patterson, 73, will have ten days to respond to the ticket which carries a fine of $65.

 

 

Patterson was a passenger in a car that was involved in an accident at Walton and Opdyke roads in August.

 

Patterson, who  suffered several broken bones and a gash to his scalp, was released from the hospital last week and is undergoing rehab.

 

His driver, retired Michigan State Trooper James Cram, has not been issued a ticket. Police said Cram suffered serious injuries and “is not in a position to handle a traffic citation at this time.”

 

The driver of a Volkswagen Passat that struck Patterson’s car has been charged in the crash.

 

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/09/18/l-brooks-patterson-issued-seat-belt-citation/

Add new comment

Category: Breaking News Written by WWJ

 

DETROIT (WWJ) - A federal judge in Detroit says she won’t delay proceeding in the corruption trial of ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and three others amid concerns they can’t get a fair trial.

 

Attorneys for Kilpatrick, his father Bernard, friend Bobby Ferguson and former Detroit water boss Victor Mercado say coverage has been so intense there is no way an impartial jury can be assembled.

 

Ferguson’s attorney on Tuesday brought up a newspaper article out this week that referenced a so-call hold-out juror in a separate case for his client that resulted in a mistrial.   He’s asking for a change of venue.

 

Judge Nancy Edmunds advised the attorneys to file the appropriate paperwork, but said she would not postpone or delay jury selection or the trial.

 

So far, 55 potential jurors have been chosen, including more than a dozen African-Americans and several minorities. Judge Nancy Edmunds wants a total of 66 jurors in the pool, from which 12 jurors and six alternates will be selected to hear the case.

 

Jury selection is expected to wrap up Tuesday.

 

The Kilpatricks, Ferguson and Mercado are accused of a sweeping corruption scheme at Detroit city hall. The government calls it the “Kilpatrick enterprise.”

 

All have pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering, bribery and extortion. Kilpatrick was mayor until fall 2008 when he resigned amid what’s known as the text-messaging scandal.

 

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/09/18/attorneys-want-corruption-case-moved-from-detroit/

 

 

2 comments

Category: Breaking News Written by WWJ

 

LANSING (WWJ) - Two more deaths have been linked to the West Nile Virus in Michigan.  The State Health Department reports an 87-year old man died from the virus in Macomb County and 65-year old man died in Ogemaw County in northern Michigan.

 

That brings Michigan to a total of eight deaths and 160 total cases this year — the highest since the virus first appeared in Michigan in 2002.

 

Angela Minicuci with the Michigan Department of Community Health attributes the spike, at least in part, to the hot, dry summer that created an ideal environment for mosquitoes, which transmit the virus.

 

Minicuci said symptoms of West Nile include high fever, dizziness and drowsiness.

 

More information on West Nile including the latest from state health officials can be found at this link. Go under the ‘testing tables and maps’ link on the left to find an updated map and table of human cases.

 

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/09/18/michigan-west-nile-death-toll-rises-by-two/

Add new comment

Category: Breaking News Written by WWJ

 

(DETROIT, WJBK) Anthony Chambers is nationally recognized as one of the premier criminal defense attorneys in Michigan.

 

His list of high-profile cases includes the Underwear Bomber and one of Detroit contractor Bobby Ferguson's business partners in a bid rigging trial.

 

But now he's having some legal troubles of his own. The Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission accuses him of leaving two clients high and dry. And an Oakland County judge issued a bench warrant authorizing his arrest after his wife accused him of owing more than $7,000 in child support.

 

Chambers told the Problem Solvers last week that he did not know about the bench warrant. He denies the other charges and says that, even though he earned the fees he was paid, he will send back some of the money.

 

That's not good enough for David Root, who hired him help his son with a drug charge.

 

Root lives in New York and hired Chambers after asking around for one of the best lawyers in town. According to documents Root submitted to the Attorney Grievance Commission, he hired Chambers Jan. 29th, 2011, wired a $10,000 retainer on  Jan. 31st, had his last phone conversation with Chambers on Feb. 3rd.  and got no calls, texts, or emails after Feb. 24th.

 

"How could he have left my son dangling out there with a warrant served for his arrest?," Root wrote in an email he submitted to the grievance commission.

 

Even Root's New York attorney, the guy who recommended Chambers, couldn't get in touch with him.  He emailed Chambers, saying, "Anthony, You're making me look bad.  Send me and update, please."

 

Root says he hired another Michigan lawyer for peanuts, and his son got probation.

 

Shannon Williams wasn't so lucky.

 

Williams, tried in Nebraska for dealing weed, says Chambers flew out to see him three times. He says Chambers never forgot to take home his pay. But he did forget one crucial detail: he was supposed to try getting Williams out of jail.

 

Williams also complained to the grievance commission. In his statement of fact he  claimed Chambers pocketed $53,000.

 

In a letter replying to the complaint Chambers countered that Williams never paid him 53 grand, "nor did anyone on his behalf."

 

He says he dropped Williams as a client, writing "Mr. Williams' threatening behavior about what would be done and what he would do was unacceptable."

 

Williams is no angel

 

Even after getting new lawyers, he was convicted of dope dealing and money laundering.

 

He's currently serving a 20 to 40 year sentence in the federal pen.

 

But Grievance Commission officials believe chambers broke some rules himself.

 

For starters, in their Formal Complaint, they say he refused to cooperate in their investigation.

 

Their offices were only four floors above chambers' offices in the Buhl building, but they say Chambers refused to provide billing records or provide any other documents that would clear up the complaints by Williams and root.

 

They have essentially accused chambers of ripping off clients -- one of gravest sins an attorney can commit.

 

If convicted, Chambers' legal career could be put on hold for months ... Or more.

 

While Chambers wrote the commission letters responding to their initial inquiries, he has not responded to the discipline board and is in default.

 

That is a serious matter.

 

John Van Bolt, executive director of the discipline board, says he cannot comment on Chambers' case. He says attorneys in default are considered guilty of the charges they are accused of.

 

And that means that the hearing panel that will decide Chambers' fate must sentence him to some form of discipline.

 

That could range from a written reprimand to a suspension.

 

Van Bolt says suspension is a serious matter for attorneys, because during their suspension period they cannot practice law.  Even a suspension for 30 days can be a difficult sentence.

 

Suspended lawyers can't take on new clients.

 

Even worse, he says, "You can't do anything that a lawyer can do. You can't appear in court, you can't sign pleadings, you can't hold yourself out as a lawyer. Technically, your name should not  be on correspondence, at least not identified as attorney at law. If you have an office that says Office of John Jones, Attorney at Law, for those 30 days to be in compliance … you can put tape over (attorney at law). But you are not a lawyer for those 30 days."

 

It can be bad news for their clients, too, who will either need to put their business on hold. Or look for another lawyer.

 

There is a chance Chambers can avoid discipline if he can convince the hearing panel to give him another chance to respond to the charges against him.

 

The Problem Solvers will attend Chambers' hearing Tuesday and let you know what happens.

 

Anthony Chambers provided the following statement to Fox 2:

 

"You have recently made inquiry of my office regarding a previous fee dispute with two clients.  Please be advised that the matter is currently pending with the Attorney Grievance Commission.  I must note that, in my 27 years of practice I have never been disciplined, reprimanded or otherwise sanctioned by the Commission.  In short, the Attorney Grievance Commission is the proper forum to address and adjust private disputes between attorneys and their clients. 

 

In my career, which spans nearly three decades, I have stridently and zealously represented thousands of clients - ranging from the famous to the infamous.  In this matter, I have elected to aggressively defend myself against these allegations in the appropriate forum.  I fully anticipate that the parties to this matter will be afforded a fair hearing.

 

In short, I have great respect for our system of jurisprudence and I will continue (to) avail myself of the remedies available to me in this matter. Although private legal disputes between Attorneys and their clients are typically not news items, I fully understand that my profile and past successes have caused this matter to be a newsworthy item."

 

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19570143/prominent-detroit-attorney-anthony-chambers-in-hot-water

Add new comment

Category: Breaking News Written by WWJ

 

DETROIT (97.1 The Ticket) The Detroit Lions are expanding their reach beyond the sporting world with an expansive plan to improve the health, development and overall community well-being in metro Detroit.

 

There’s even a jobs initiatives in the mix.

 

The “Living for the City” program, announced Tuesday morning in a press event attended by team President Tom Lewand, players Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson,  will provide space for healthy, locally grown foods at Ford Field through a partnership with Eastern Market. It will also encourage entrepreneurship to revitalize Detroit neighborhoods through Hatch Detroit, and help fund jobs training for unemployment workers with the “Dollars for Jobs: Pay It Forward” campaign with Goodwill Industries.

 

“‘Living for the City’ is a reflection of the Lions’ commitment to Detroit’s resurgence and our focus on areas of critical need,” Lewand said. “‘Living for the City’ supports innovative citizen philanthropy and promotes personal and community well-being.”

 

The effort is inspired in part by  a speech Quarterback Matthew Stafford gave at the ESPY awards for being the comeback player of the year, saying that Detroit is also on a comeback.

 

 

“You know, the people here are fantastic and that makes me want to give back and help out,” Stafford said. “And I’m just lucky enough to, you know, play for an organization like the Lions that’s willing to give us a platform like ‘Living for the City’ that makes it easy for players to go out and give back and … that’s a fun part of it for us.”

 

Specifically, these are the elements:

 

*Lunch with the Lions will provide vouchers for fresh food from Eastern Market and cooking lessons at Ford Field for students at the Detroit Lions Academy and Detroit public schools. Events will be held every Tuesday through October 30.

 

*The Lions will hold special on-field events for Lions Play 60, a partnership with Playworks Detroit, which encourages play as a way to teach kids how to make the right choices. Program coordinators will work with students at the Detroit Lions Academy and at Detroit public schools.

 

*Hatch Detroit will work with Detroit neighborhoods that are a critical component of the revitalization of the region to shine a spotlight on entrepreneurs who contribute to the community, keep their surrounding community safe and clean, and are an asset to their neighborhood, and to the growth of their neighborhood.

 

*Then there’s the “Dollars for Jobs” initiative that runs through Sunday, Sept. 30, to assist the unemployed. It features envelopes that can be filled with dollar bills and passed from person to person until reaching 25 people. Once an envelope has $25, it can be turned in at local Biggby coffee shops in exchange for a discount.

 

Detroit Lions Wide Receiver Nate Burleson is the spokesperson for the campaign.

 

The Lions are also encouraging fans to donate gently used items at the Goodwill “Donate for Jobs” truck in front of Ford Field at every home game this season. High quality items will be sold at a new 15,000 square-foot retail space at 22451 Michigan Ave., Dearborn.  Sales will fund job training, education and placement programs that help the region’s unemployed overcome employment challenges and earn jobs.

 

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/09/18/lions-unveil-plan-to-improve-health-jobs-outlook-in-metro-detroit/

Add new comment

Category: Top News Written by Monica A. Morgan

DIA's Friends of African Arts 50th Anniversary Gala: Sharon Madison and Graham Beal, DIA DIrector, President and CEO

1 comment

Category: Breaking News Written by Huffington Post

While many conservative pundits rallied around Mitt Romney after his comments at a private fundraiser were leaked, others from the wider media world were not so charitable -- especially after the GOP candidate held a sudden press conference to address the controversy.

The video, released by The Huffington Post and Mother Jones, showed Romney at a Florida fundraiser, saying that 47 percent of Americans are "victims" who are "dependent on government" and who he is not going to "worry about" in the campaign.

The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza called it Romney's "darkest hour." Blogger Glenn Greenwald tweeted, "whenever you're convinced things can't get worse for the Romney campaign, they find a way to make it happen."

Bloomberg's Josh Barro said that the video was an "utter disaster" that "has killed Mitt Romney's campaign for president."

After the press conference, reviews were equally harsh.

"That was a desperate man in a desperate situation, " Lawrence O'Donnell opined on MSNBC after watching the press conference. Writing on his Atlantic blog, Ta-Nehisi Coates agreed. "I have never seen the candidate of a major party looking more shook than Romney does at this press conference," he wrote.

Politico's Roger Simon was even more blunt:
@politicoroger
Romney's explanation of his comments may be worse than the comments.
September 18, 2012 2:23 am via web Reply Retweet Favorite

CNN's Romney beat reporter Jim Acosta told the network that "Mitt Romney for a while now has been saying something different behind closed doors ... than he has been saying in public in front of voters." Analyst Ron Brownstein noted that many of the people Romney seemingly dismissed are actually Republican voters, saying, "He is insulting voters that he is relying on quite heavily."

Tuesday morning brought broadsides from the Republican establishment.

Joe Scarborough told the "Today" show that "This is one of the worst weeks for a presidential candidate in a general election that any of us can remember."

Writing in the New York Times, David Brooks said that Romney's views were a "country club fantasy," adding, "It reinforces every negative view people have about Romney ... he's running a depressingly inept presidential campaign. Mr. Romney, your entitlement reform ideas are essential, but when will the incompetence stop?"

And the Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol called the comments "arrogant and stupid."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/18/pundits-mitt-romney-fundraiser-comments_n_1892994.html

Add new comment