WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney’s wife says she doesn’t consider herself to be wealthy.
In an interview Monday on Fox News, the wife of the Republican presidential front-runner, Ann Romney, was asked about criticism that her husband can seem out of touch with average Americans. His worth has been estimated as high as $250 million.
Mrs. Romney said her struggle with multiple sclerosis has given her compassion for people who are suffering from multiple sclerosis, cancer or other diseases.
“We can be poor in spirit, and I don’t even consider myself wealthy, which is an interesting thing,” Mrs. Romney said. “It can be here today and gone tomorrow.”
She added: “How I measure riches is by the friends I have and the loved ones I have and the people that I care about in my life, and that’s where my values are and that’s where my riches are.”
A Romney spokeswoman said the full interview showed what Mrs. Romney meant by her remarks.
Mitt Romney has drawn criticism for offhand remarks that point to the wide economic divide separating him and nearly all other Americans. His 2010 tax returns show he earned about $21.7 million from his investments and, after charitable donations, paid about 14 percent in federal income taxes.
While campaigning in Michigan, Romney referred to his wife driving “a couple of Cadillacs” as he pointed to his longstanding support of American automakers. At other times during his campaign for the Republican nomination, Romney has referred to the $373,000 he earned in speaking fees over two years as “not very much” and once bet a Republican rival $10,000 to make a point.
Romney has also said he was “not concerned about the very poor” and, while referring to insurance companies, remarked, “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me.”
Asked by reporters last week if such comments had hurt his campaign, he answered, “Yes.”
SourceI get what she meant, but man was that the wrong thing to say.
In an interview Monday on Fox News, the wife of the Republican presidential front-runner, Ann Romney, was asked about criticism that her husband can seem out of touch with average Americans. His worth has been estimated as high as $250 million.
Mrs. Romney said her struggle with multiple sclerosis has given her compassion for people who are suffering from multiple sclerosis, cancer or other diseases.
“We can be poor in spirit, and I don’t even consider myself wealthy, which is an interesting thing,” Mrs. Romney said. “It can be here today and gone tomorrow.”
She added: “How I measure riches is by the friends I have and the loved ones I have and the people that I care about in my life, and that’s where my values are and that’s where my riches are.”
A Romney spokeswoman said the full interview showed what Mrs. Romney meant by her remarks.
Mitt Romney has drawn criticism for offhand remarks that point to the wide economic divide separating him and nearly all other Americans. His 2010 tax returns show he earned about $21.7 million from his investments and, after charitable donations, paid about 14 percent in federal income taxes.
While campaigning in Michigan, Romney referred to his wife driving “a couple of Cadillacs” as he pointed to his longstanding support of American automakers. At other times during his campaign for the Republican nomination, Romney has referred to the $373,000 he earned in speaking fees over two years as “not very much” and once bet a Republican rival $10,000 to make a point.
Romney has also said he was “not concerned about the very poor” and, while referring to insurance companies, remarked, “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me.”
Asked by reporters last week if such comments had hurt his campaign, he answered, “Yes.”
SourceI get what she meant, but man was that the wrong thing to say.
You're digging a hole by hand with a shovel, why are you doing this when you're rich enough to afford a fleet of JCBs?
More seriously, if the remarks only appear insensitive because they've been taken out of context, I'd love to see a transcript for the entire interview...
And like people who are poor don't do what you do already. Fuck you lady.
Small wonder, Lady, since you are RICH, not wealthy.
“How I measure riches is by the friends I have and the loved ones I have and the people that I care about in my life"
Holy crap, how'd we not figure this out before?! Hug my friends and paid bill slips pop out? Awesome!
Stuff like this always makes me rage when I'm about to graduate with several thousand in student debt! That I won't be able to pay off for years! :D
Here's an idea: let's take away all their money and Cadillac insurance, and see if their priorities are still all about existential rainbows and kittens and shit.
And I would be fucking grateful for it. Instead of spouting this saccharine shit about how ~money doesn't matter. Guess what. It's really fucking easy to say that when you have more money than God.
I have to say, it enrages me to see Romney and Santorum talk about their bouts with illness, and the costs, and at the same time suggest that providing healthcare is not something the government should be doing. They damn well KNOW that even for rich fucks like them, the cost of healthcare is problematic. How in hell do they think it works for people who are not millionaires?
When you are this clueless about what modesty really is, there is something wrong in your whole thought process.
I would agree she is poor: In perspective.
#6 specifically.
Oh, and also:
Considering that, this is just another example of a Rich Person Saying A Thing that, when compared to some of the other shit that leaves rich people's mouths, wasn't even all that horrible.
Maybe they see 7.25 and automatically add "million" to the end. :/
She added: “How I measure riches is by the friends I have and the loved ones I have and the people that I care about in my life, and that’s where my values are and that’s where my riches are.”
The thing I don't get - if she's talking about money-riches, then she's wrong ("it can be here today and gone tomorrow" is better than "it was never here to begin with"). But if she's talking about wealth in terms of friends and family, then did she just say that she's friendless? Because she measures riches by the loved ones around her but doesn't consider herself wealthy?
I'm actually a little confused by the way she put that.