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Carolyn Kaster / AP
President Barack Obama talks with David Letterman on the set of the "Late Show With David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater, Tuesday, Sept. 18, in New York.
President Barack Obama slammed Mitt Romney on Tuesday for "writing off a big chunk of the country" after a secretly made video showed the Republican presidential nominee dismissing Obama supporters as victims who are dependent on the government.
"One of the things I've learned as president is you represent the entire country," Obama said on CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman."
"My expectation is if you want to be president, you've got to work for everybody, not just for some," he said to applause from the studio audience.
In the video, the first part of which was published on Monday by the liberal Mother Jones magazine, Romney told donors that 47 percent of Americans would back Obama no matter what and "my job is not to worry about those people."
Romney said they did not pay income taxes and were people "who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them."
Obama said he tried to reach out to people who did not support him after his victory four years ago.
"When I won in 2008, 47 percent of people who voted, voted for John McCain. They didn't vote for me," Obama said.
"And what I said on election night was, even though you didn't vote for me, I hear your voices and I'm going to work as hard as I can to be your president."
Related content:
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- The 47 percent: Here's who pays no federal income tax
- Full video and transcript of leaked Romney fundraiser remarks
Obama, who as a candidate in 2008 made a damaging gaffe of his own that white rural voters clung to guns or religion, indicated he thought Romney should admit his remarks were a mistake.
"When you run for president, you are under a microscope all the time. All of us make mistakes. That incident in 2008, I immediately said, 'I regret this,'" Obama said.
"What I think people want to make sure of is you're not writing off a big chunk of the country."
Despite the focus on the video that was shaking up the presidential campaign, Obama's appearance was not wholly serious in tone. Upon arriving on stage, Obama told the comedian that he looked sharp.
"You haven't seen me naked," Letterman replied.
"We're going to keep it that way," Obama retorted.
Letterman opened his show, which airs later on Tuesday, by poking fun at an incident at the Republican National Convention in which film star Clint Eastwood delivered a diatribe addressed to an imaginary Obama in an empty chair.
"I want to know before we get started if you want to say something to the empty chair," Letterman said. Obama smiled.
"Late Show With David Letterman" airs at 11:35 p.m. on CBS.
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Leave a Comment:
You lefties are pathetic. Quit letting others TELL you what to believe. How about actually listening to the recording. Mitt didn't say anything about writing off 47% of the country. He's talking about not getting 47% of the vote for various reasons therefore he wasn't going to "worry about those people". In other words he's not going to concentrate on trying to sway their vote. It's easy to take a snipet of a coversation and twist it to what you want it to say. Nice try but were not buying it.
LisaZ-3849819
Thank you, those saying that Romney doesn't care about 47% are listening to something different than what I heard. All he said was he doesn't think it is worth concentrating his efforts on the people that won't bite the hand that feeds them. He doesn't think he will get their votes so he needs to try & go for the vote in other areas. He NEVER said he doesn't CARE about those people. These Lefties hear one thing & try to say it means another. Odumbass has them tranquilized with his Muslim Bull $hit.
Racist President of the Divided States of America (brought to you by the Muslim Brotherhood)
Anyone that watches Letterman, has the mentality of a 5th grader!! He's stupid!!!!!
We have had TOO MANY Lawyers in Executive Office -- CLintons, Gore, Obamas.. All Corrupt, Stupid, only outcome is many more Laws, COntrols, and way too much to stifle Business.
Give the Business mans a chance, maybe he can fix the economy.......
Obama did so GOOD, right thats why fuel went from $ 1.62 (2008) to 3.91 (today) and NO INVESTIGATION, NO ACTION, NO ANSWERS>..
Obama is a Economic Moron, or has really bad advisors.... Maybe Both.
Go FORWARD with Obama-Nation - right off the Financal Cliff... More COntrols, More Inflation, More Costs, More Healthcare............. Sheep will follow off the Cliff.
I must correct your piece: Obama's advisers are referred to by Obama as "Czars" like in Russia. At last count, we are paying for 32 of these people.
Obviously Obama has spent more time with the stars and liberal hacks like David Letterfool than he has in intelligence briefings. The so called "spontaneous" Libyan embassy attack and his failure to meet with Netanyahu was because of his very busy non stop campaigning. This fraud of a Prez could care less about anything else except reelection and his image as the Middle East erupts in destructive demonstratations against our embassies.
I would rather have a Mormon Business Man, then a Super Liberal Lawyer, Arrogant, Elite, Race-Card Playing, Economic Moron.....
I have not had a vacation in 4 years and Obama-Nation's Kid goes to mexico with Secret Service, 2 Jets, entire school class, and WE the US Citizens PAY for this with TAX Dollars.. Hell with the Perks of Office.... BS.
Obama is a campaign about "feelings". Romney must be a campaign about Ideas; he cannot out "feel" Obama. Everyone even the Left knows Romney would be the right choice to manage this economy. I have no doubt that Romney knows exactly what needs to be done to excite small business. He is a turn-around specialist not a street organizer. My prayer is people of conscience who cannot vote for Romney will at least stay home this Nov. for the sake of their children/grandchildren.
Obama is a talk that is it. Romney/Ryan 2012
Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams, and David Letterman--chief Kool Aid Mixers and cheerleaders for the status quo society. As Brian would say, "these are complex issues that we need to interpret for you." Have pity on us lower functioning entities that can see through the haze and melodrama. As for the candidates, who are you voting for--Black Obama or White Obama. The power brokers in both parties have decided who you can vote for. And by the way, good morning in the United Socialist States of America!!
there isn't anything like a good drama on TV hence our coming elections. This is more ridiculous than reality TV and it actually is reality??
MAKER or TAKER that is what this great country is coming to and if you are capable and NOT working SHAME ON YOU!!! what example are you seeing for your kids, your peers, your country?? The day is coming when our great Government will abandon you to save their own ass?
What happens to insects or animals that are lazy and don't work? THEY DIE? why doesn't the animal world have a system where all the lazy animals are taken care of?? Oh wait they so it is a ZOO...welcome to America the TAKER ZOO!!
OBAMA RULES HAHA
Isn't a debate were you do slam your competition? Mitt is a moron and Obama is just stating fact. Mitt did this to himself so all you Mitt supporters stop being a sore loser and face the fact that your fallowing a fake millionaire that screws himself every time he opens his mouth!!!
Romney life is about deeds and actions. Obama's life is all words.
"they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."
That's Obama's take on middle America.
So true!
All Obama does is talk. (lie)
The problem hot daddy is that Romney's deeds and actions are detrimental to the working class and the retirees in the country. We could use a little more action from Romney, like coughing up his tax returns and explaining his off shore accounts to evade paying his taxes. That would be a start. Then explain how the shortfall in revenue is going to made up when he gives more tax breaks to the top 2% and our debt grow even larger. The middle class should get over being bigots and haters and start watching their own backs. Romney is no joke, he will act to benefit the 2% and he has actually stated what he thinks of the rest of us.
I happen to agree with most of what Mitt said that was caught on camera. The percent of people who have been helped the last 4 years is probably higher though...WELFARE and 90% of those on it feel they have a "right" and are a lazy bunch of freeloaders. I want to see Mitt care more about the people struggling to keep their homes and heads above water who actually work and try to find jobs, take care of their children, raise them right, and not do or sell drugs, or who think the way to solve problems is by having a drive by in their neighborhoods. If you are not willing to look for a job and feel it's just easier to lay at home watching Jerry Springer then you shouldn't have a welfare check, food stamps, HUD, free cell phones, and all the free crap you can get!!! GO OUT and GET A JOB and stop wasting the countries money. More should be given to the Medicare population who worked hard their whole lives and earned it. Also Mitt needs to crack down on the people who get disability, It has gotten out of hand and many people should not be on that either. Think about the way things use to be in the older days and compare it to how lazy this country is now as a whole? Things need to change and we need to help the RIGHT people who deserve it. There are single mothers who should be on assistance that had the fathers take off or the other way around and have a hard time paying for child care and keeping a good job but at least try to get off assistance, there are people who are really in pain with illnesses that should be on disability and need care and help but most of the people are abusing the system.
Interviewing with David Letterman just shows that this president is no more than a political celebrity. He hasn't done anything of significance with his honor but spend money and sell the U.S. even more to the bank.
It's time, isn't it, to begin thinking about what Obama will be saying in four years (aware that 47 percent of the people believe they are entitled to vote themselves a piece of their fellows' wealth, I assume re-election). To do that, one might consider what he's been saying about the first four (I also assume that there will be enough of capitalism left then to provide him with a "Letterman Show," the television media, and all that....)
When Obama is retired in Jan 13, other than his library I do believe that he could become either the male Oprah or the next Jesse Jackson leading protests.
Rural white people DO cling to their guns and religion......Why not just admit it? I have relatives who are all like that. Church on Sunday morning and guns the rest of the weekend with confederate flags in the back of their pickup truck windows.
jazzermom
Then I guess Odumbass's statement was TRUE just like Romney's was. Why the big deal ?
As a rural person by choice, sorry no rebel flag, Church on Sunday is on the menu as proficiency with rifle/shotgun/pistol. But Monday-Saturday means work, chores, marketing, bills, maintenance, and a 100 other things that happen when you run equipment and raise stock. Are we Conservative? Yes we done not want to hear, "We are the government and we are here to help."
I keep my Confederate Flag in my "Man Cave".
That one is a whole lot better than the MUSLIM flag that Obama salutes.
Obama sat there and lied last night and all you Progressive Liberal Marxists know it. He lied about the Libyan incident saying it was about a video! The Libyans Security people warned the White House there was going to be trouble, well in advance of the attack. The film was frosting on the cake, kind of like saying the Japanese arranged for blue skies when they hit Pearl Harbor. Obama, hadn't attended a Daily Intelligence Briefing since Sept 5th. In all he's attended only about 38% of the briefings...The blood of those people who were murdered is on Obamas hands...When does he start accepting responsibility for anything? As far as the absurdity of him representing all of the people, how could he do that when all he does is campaign? Over 800 fund raisers, no meetings with Jobs Council, members of either party of Congress, no budgets passed, (his own party didn't vote for his) no Intelligence briefings? Then there is the illegally passed bill known as Oliarcare...You know the one that is 1.7 trillion dollars more expensive than he said it should be? The one that will have a 600 billion dollar defict before it's 5th year. The bill that 70% of Americans said NO to? The bill that represents the biggest Tax Increase in history? The bill that starts out leaving 30 million people uninsured? The bill that hires 16,000 new IRS Agents but doesn't make a provision for one more doctor?
Obama made it clear early in this campaign that he didn't care about white middle class voters...How is that representing all of the people? All he's done is create victims, and when you read the comments here and the divide and envy between Liberals and those who chose to work for what they have, it's clear that Romney's comments were right on...The hate Liberals show for anyone who has made their lives successful in itself shows that poor job Obama has done. The attitude of take from the rich and give to the poor validates Romneys comments. You people don't want to try to attain success! You want someone elses given to you! What happens when you blow through that money too? How is "taking a little more form the wealthy" going to change the huge deficits and over spending the federal government does? How is it that Obama says tax cuts are bad, but gives them to GM, the so-called Green Energy Companies (green because they burn up so much cash with poor management) and he hands out waivers and exemptions for OLiarcare to companies that pass cash to his campaign? 45 billion in tax cuts for GM? Of course they should be having their best year ever with tax breaks like that! Why has GE, a company that has pandered to Obama through the media it's owned, not paid any taxes? Instead he makes Jeff Immelt his Jobs Czar...Of course Jeff baby is sending jobs to China like Obama has! NO, the Oliar supporters here are the 47% who look for a jackpot from Oblamo's re-election...Guess what? You're all a bunch of dummies who are being duped!
even Jesus said to share your wealth and help those who have less.
I'm black, grew up poor, and live on welfare. I'm going to vote for Obama because he is black, grew up poor, and lets me live on welfare.
It's as simple as that.
Roxlie, while I appreciate your honesty, you need to get your facts straight. Obama did NOT grow up poor! His mother was a Bank Executive...
Same with Moochelle! Her father made $55,000.00 a year back in 1970 which is equivalent to making $282,000.00 a year now...So much for the myth that people making $200,000.00 to $250,000.00 a year do not belong to the middle class...
Now, if you're black and poor, you can probably look out and see drug dealers on your street. You see people buying drugs! Tell me, based upon their actions, which of those people committing those crimes would you vote for to be the President? The dealer, or the buyer? The character they represent is exactly the same person who sits in the White House. Who would vote for the neighborhood drug abuser? It's all Obama really is! While at parallel times in their lives, Romney was achieiving scholastic excellence, Obama was sitting around with the Choom Gang getting stoned...
Roxlie
In that case, I would like to be black . How would one go about getting these special privileges?
I am an independent voter. I am classified as a lower middle income wage earner (my wife and I were/are teachers in Louisiana) making below $100,000 a year.
99% of the people I know are totally dissatisfied with where Obama has led us (and we hoped for change). But again, 99% of the people I know are totally dissatisfied with the choice of Romney as an alternative.
So I ASK all of you political pundits...just where the hell do we turn to.
I can't in good conscience (sp) leave my children (3 boys in their teens) with a national debt that is so huge that they will suffer for the rest of their lives. I can'taccept that from this point on in history, that children that work (as my sons do) will pay more taxes than the 30% of the people in this country that are capable of working that pay NOTHING and the corporations and rich will continue to pay less % wise than these same kids.
I can't accept that in this country, that we have reached a point where these same people are voting in elections to put more and more tax burdens on the middle class...and if not a tax, a "FEE" that we are all seeing being added to everything from utility bills to airplane tickets (taxation without representation). See Detoquiville(sp)and his writings from 200 yrs ago.
I can't see leaving a country to my children where the people that represent us(Congress) (1) don't have to abide by the same laws as we do, (2) all come out of office as RICH money grubbers(both sides of the aisle)and, (3) don't have to offer a balanced budget each year as I do at my home to stay afloat. ETc., etc.
I could go on and on........ But the bottom line....
WE are screwed...from both sides and I see us rapidly heading to another revolution or becoming another Greece or Islamic country ruled by dictators.
I would say GOD help us but I know that would piss off half of those reading this...
So, where do we turn.............?????????
Yea the 47% that are Pro-ObamaNation and too Stupid to realize they are being taken, loosing rights, and going down the Socialist Path will never wake up...
There is 47% that no one will get to because they are stuck believing Liberal Media....
They watch Night Time Drama Shows and Reaility TV, thinking its real......
I found that a Minority Woman in Chicago with 4 kids (&no Baby Daddy) gets the equivalent of $ 56K per year in AID without working when you add up the Welfare, Medical, Food Stamps, Child Care Aid, SSI, Education Aid, State Aid, Tax Credits, Free Transportation, Etc..
What happened to WORK PROGRAMS... Gone under Obama..
No Need to work, the Caddilac is paid by US TaxPayers who are stupid enough to work -- You & Me...
Cant meet with the PM of Israel, his job council, Leader of the House ... wont answer questions about anything.
Doesnt go to over 55% of his Intelligence Meeting .... Doesnt fire Holder ... Doesnt know what Egypt is or isnt ....
But he knows how to find Letterman, Leno, Oprah or any other Hollywood lefty fool ...
WE do not have a President .. we have a clown who think he was elected Celeb in Chief
Will Romney be the one that turns us around? I don't know. Obama has PROVEN that he is NOT the one. That's all I need to know. He had his chance. All he wants to do is become a Celebrity, we need a President. He can't do the job. If we all did our jobs like what we are paid to do, & did them like Odumbass has done his. We would all be unemployed like 10% of America.
Obama is a Economic Moron, or has really bad advisors.... Maybe Both.
Go FORWARD with Obama-Nation - right off the Financal Cliff... More COntrols, More Inflation, More Costs, More Healthcare............. Sheep will follow off the Cliff.
Reality TV, Obama takes down the US in just 4 years.....
Or How to Socialize A Country -- Start with Medicine, Marxist Agenda.
I am an independent voter. I am classified as a lower middle income wage earner (my wife and I were/are teachers in Louisiana) making below $100,000 a year.
99% of the people I know are totally dissatisfied with where Obama has led us (and we hoped for change). But again, 99% of the people I know are totally dissatisfied with the choice of Romney as an alternative.
So I ASK all of you political pundits...just where the hell do we turn to.
I can't in good conscience (sp) leave my children (3 boys in their teens) with a national debt that is so huge that they will suffer for the rest of their lives. I can'taccept that from this point on in history, that children that work (as my sons do) will pay more taxes than the 30% of the people in this country that are capable of working that pay NOTHING and the corporations and rich will continue to pay less % wise than these same kids.
I can't accept that in this country, that we have reached a point where these same people are voting in elections to put more and more tax burdens on the middle class...and if not a tax, a "FEE" that we are all seeing being added to everything from utility bills to airplane tickets (taxation without representation). See Detoquiville(sp)and his writings from 200 yrs ago.
I can't see leaving a country to my children where the people that represent us(Congress) (1) don't have to abide by the same laws as we do, (2) all come out of office as RICH money grubbers(both sides of the aisle)and, (3) don't have to offer a balanced budget each year as I do at my home to stay afloat. ETc., etc.
I could go on and on........ But the bottom line....
WE are screwed...from both sides and I see us rapidly heading to another revolution or becoming another Greece or Islamic country ruled by dictators.
I would say GOD help us but I know that would piss off half of those reading this...
So, where do we turn.............?????????
Did I see a sign over the Middle East uprising saying" WE LOVE OBAMA"?just wondering.
No, but the Dims have made a big deal over the killing of Osama Bin Laden so what you did here is hundreds of Egyptians chanting "WE ARE ALL OSAMA!"