Reactions to Mitt Romney’s 47 Percent Remarks: A Roundup

In case you’ve been away from your news delivery device for the past six hours or so, the politisphere is all atwitter over the leaked video of presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s remarks at a fundraiser sometime this year, in which he says, among other things, this:

“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.”

Since I was at a dinner for the past few hours, I had to catch up on reaction really quickly, but in doing so, came across several useful reads to give me a sense of the story, the 47% that Romney’s referring to, why it matters or doesn’t matter, and how the video wound up in the hands of David Corn of Mother Jones magazine. So if you’re just getting caught up, I rounded up some links:

Who, Exactly, Are the 47 Percent? – “There are two primary ways to pay no (or negative) federal income taxes. The first is to be poor, and the second is to be elderly.” New York Magazine

Why This Is Bad for Romney – “This is politically devastating because it plays into people’s preconceived notions of Romney as Monty Burns+Thurston Howell. And the bigger potential problem is that the right (Limbaugh, Ingraham, Erickson) will love what Romney said and if he walks it back they will savage him as being a weak-kneed and caving to liberals and the media.” The Page from Time.com

Today, Mitt Romney Lost the Election – “Romney is the most opaque presidential nominee since Nixon, and people have been reduced to guessing what his true feelings are. This video provides an answer: He feels that you’re a loser. It’s not an answer that wins elections.” Bloomberg

Mitt Romney Is The 47%, According To Mitt Romney – “One irony of Mitt Romney’s leaked criticism of the 47% of Americans who don’t pay income tax is that Romney may be a member of the club himself since he pays almost no income tax relative to his vast wealth. “ Talking Points Memo

How James Carter IV Helped Spread Romney Video – “Credited as a “research assistant” on the story is James Carter IV, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, who has been toiling online as an opposition researcher and is “currently looking for work,” according to his Twitter bio. “I’ve been searching for clips on Republicans for a long time, almost every day,” said Carter this evening. “I just do it for fun.” But by connecting Corn with the mysterious uploader of the clip, Carter has uncovered his biggest story yet” New York Magazine

Secret Footage of Romney Was Filmed at Estate of Sex Party-Throwing Hedge Fund Manager – “The tapes come from a fundraiser held at the estate of hedge fund manager Mark Leder in Boca Raton. And while this particular fundraiser may not have been debaucherous, Leder is notorious for his Caligula-esque parties. “ Gawker

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