Mitt Romney Walks Back Comment Suggesting He Would ‘Hang’ President Obama With ‘Misery Index’
EmailABC News’ Michael Falcone and Gregory Simmons report:
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney stumbled into controversial territory Friday night at a forum for potential presidential candidates here, suggesting that Republicans “hang” President Obama with a so-called “Misery Index.”
Romney, an all-but-declared presidential contender, was answering a question at an Americans For Prosperity event about what he would do to curb rising gas prices when he suddenly found his way into — and then quickly out of — the verbal gaffe.
“We’re going to hang the Obama Misery Index around his neck,” Romney told a crowd of conservative activists, before saying: “We’re going to hang him with that, so to speak.”
Apparently realizing his choice of words, Romney paused, and added “metaphorically.”
“You have to be careful these days,” he said.
Romney's reference to the “Misery Index,” was, as he acknowledged, a throwback to a term that then-presidential candidate Ronald Reagan used to describe public discontent about economic conditions during debates with incumbent President Jimmy Carter during the 1980 election.
"It is not what the governor meant and that was very clear in what he actually said," Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul told ABC News.
Here’s the full exchange:
“I just can’t help but notice that — you remember during the Ronald Reagan- Jimmy Carter debates that Ronald Reagan came up with this great thing about the “Misery Index” and that he hung that around Jimmy Carter’s neck?” Romney said. “That had a lot to do with Jimmy Carter losing.”
“Well, we’re going to hang the Obama Misery Index around his neck. And I’ll tell you the fact that you’ve got people in this country really squeezed with gasoline getting so expensive, commodities getting so expensive, families are having a hard time making ends meet. We’re going to talk about that and housing foreclosures, bankruptcies and higher taxation.”
“We’re going to hang him with that so to speak, metaphorically, uh, with, uh — you have to be careful these days — with the Obama Misery Index.”
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If you are a Democrate you can say that the Republicans spending cut are Draconian or other terms as though the are swear words. This instead of offering constructive suggestion on how to fix the enonomic mess we are in!
Posted by: Voice_Reason | April 30, 2011, 10:34 am 10:34 am
He wants to “hang” his GOP party made “misery index” on President Obama? Oh we are suppose to have forgotten this “misery index” is the legacy of failed president bush and the GOP, really he thinks americans are blind, stupid, suffer amnesia? We know President Obama inherited the GOP made “misery index” and has saved us from the . I won’t even talk about the racist angle of this. Mr. Romney you fail at life.
Posted by: ny138Stra | April 30, 2011, 11:00 am 11:00 am
No matter how much we hide our racism we are bound to expose it in the heat of debate some day.
Birds of the same feather flock together like they say.
All of us know what the GOP is made of. Like Romney says they just have to be careful not to wear white robes with hoods or burn crosses.
“You have to be careful these days,” Romney says to the GOP, “Otherwise you may expose your robe and hood” (my paraphrase for the naive).
Posted by: STEVE_NJ | April 30, 2011, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
that is the problem with an affirmative action Presidency. Everyone has to walk on egg shells lest they be accused of the racist canard. It is shameful how this character Obama can use race for his benefit, his primary reason for being elected, and then also use race to deflect criticism from his awful mangling of the economy, diplomacy, etc.
Posted by: Ed | April 30, 2011, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
What’s this a Republican with a “conscience”? LOL..Especially since their “biggest contributors” have done everything in their power to keep that “misery index” high on the middle class, then “insinuate that it is the President at fault…just to get the “BACKLASH” vote. Better figure it out which Party is for you and which one is against you middle class! Or there won’t be one (a middle class)!
Posted by: CND FOX | April 30, 2011, 12:43 pm 12:43 pm
Have we forgot that obama was a senator and part of the last group that put us into the recession? Or that things have gotten worse not better……..Now our children/grand/and great-grand get to pay for what this administration has done.
Posted by: Football | April 30, 2011, 1:05 pm 1:05 pm
Mitt Romney where were YOU during the 8 Bush years when 2 WARS went UNPAID?
So now YOU think everyone suffers from selective memory and will “hang” that around Mr Obama’s neck?
Pun intended I see! Well THIS Republican voter doesn’t always agree with everything President Obama does but I respect him and WILL VOTE for him next year!
I didn’t leave the Republican Party but the Republican Party left me behind and left me behind almost 3 years ago and looking at this current bunch;there WON’T be a reconciliation anydarntime soon!
Posted by: Fred | April 30, 2011, 3:45 pm 3:45 pm
Romney joins the crazies, he fits right in.
Posted by: Doug | April 30, 2011, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
IT IS WIDELY KNOWN THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE A BUNCH OF “C” GRADERS-A NEVER-DO-WELL-SYUDENTS IN THEIER DAYS UP TO NOW. REMEBER THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE A PARTY OF FIRST CLASS GRADERS AND HIGH INTELLECT AND HENCE IT WILL ALWAYS BE THAT THE GOP WILL ALWAYS ENVY THE DEMOCRATS. PALIN ATTENDED FIVE COLLEGES TO ATTAIN JUST A BS, IT MEANS SHE WAS CHANGING SCHOOL EVERY YEAR AND HENCE SHE ABANDONED HER GOVERNORSHIP BECAUSE OF HER PERSISTENT FAILUER. DONALD TRUMP HAS MARRIED THE FIFTH TIME AND COULD NOT JUST ORGANISE A SIMPLE MARRIEGE OF HUSBAND, WIFE AND CHILDREN. HOW THEN CAN MANAGE A COUNTRY OF THREE HUNDRED PEOPLE. HIS SUSTAINANCE IS MADE IN CHINA AND YET HE BLAMED OBAMA FOR FEEEDING THROEGH MADE IN CHINA. THE GOP ARE A BUNCH OF CERTIFICATED RACIST IN HIDING. SHAME ON YOU. A NEVER TO DO WELL.
Posted by: "C" GRADERS PERTY-GOP. | April 30, 2011, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
“IT IS WIDELY KNOWN THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE A BUNCH OF “C” GRADERS-A NEVER-DO-WELL-SYUDENTS IN THEIER DAYS UP TO NOW”
Wow talk about an elitist statement!
Posted by: Phil | April 30, 2011, 6:20 pm 6:20 pm
I think Mitt Romney looks good for 2012. With what has happened to this country since 2008, he has political ammunition and there is nothing wrong with that. If Obama has a way of turning the tables, he will do it too, that’s politics. If Mitt Romney wins the nomination and we go to the debates, I do not understand why he would be criticized for a victory by virtue of telling the truth about the economy and foreign policy. The central point is not to draw and quarter Obama, it’s not completely his fault. It is accurate to say that we have seen our share of misery in America, I would just suggest civility and refraining from harsh language against each other.
Posted by: Jay Adler | April 30, 2011, 8:34 pm 8:34 pm
We can revive Carter’s malaise index.
These candidates are walking on egg shells when they say and do things off the cuff. That is why Obama’s teleprompter has worked so well for him.
Posted by: MikeBell | April 30, 2011, 11:24 pm 11:24 pm
Mitt Romney and his felllow republicans are trying to “hang” this miserable economy on President Obama LIKE THEY DON’T OWN IT themselves. Republicans created this bad economy and than try to blame it on somebody else!!!!
Posted by: Don't try to con me | May 1, 2011, 10:20 am 10:20 am
Romney must think all Americans have Altzheimers. He is gambling that you won’t remember that the loss of jobs,high gas prices,bankruptsies and foreclosures all started during the bush/cheney administration.
Posted by: Romney thinks your stupid | May 1, 2011, 10:25 am 10:25 am
Lets call it what it is. Where was all of this “civility” Liberals and Liberal Media when Obama said to bring a gun to the fight?
Where was all of this civility when Liberals damaged the State Capitol building to the tune of $7.5 Million dollars in the fight to stop Liberal spending which is bankrupting America?
Where was all this talk of civility on the late night comedy shows and Liberal talk radio from the likes of Rachel Maddow and Norman Goldman who routinely espouse violence and scatological references to ANY conservative candidate.
Answer Liberal Media chooses to ignore things that Liberals do. The type of talk which would make this remark insignificant by comparison. But that is the hypocrisy that is at the HEART of all Liberalism. Never mind what we say and what we do. Listen to what Big Government tells YOU to do.
But America has seen that hypocrisy for the naked lie that it is. And Liberal Media is WAY WAY down in news viewers.
In just the last 5 years or so all 3 Networks have lost over half of their viewers. MSNBC and CNN combined has fewer viewers than the Cartoon Network.
Meanwhile Fox gets stronger EVERY rating period. Liberalism is in its death throws as America refuses to allow the Producers pay for the 43% of America who have been enabled by Liberalism to be Takers. See you at the Voting booth.
Posted by: Rick Allen | May 1, 2011, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
I would hang the misery index around Obama head and make him wear it like
his crown. Three wars, High gas prices,a
lack of a serious job program, inflation
at the grocery store. And not forget about
the debt that keeps climbing. Add that to
all the broken promises,Gitmo, Immigration
reform,etc,etc.
Posted by: deadwrestler | May 1, 2011, 7:33 pm 7:33 pm
Have none of you ever read “The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner?”
To “hang something around someone’s neck” refers to the albatross, you illiterate buffoons. Stop jumping at every remark as dogs awaiting the next Pavlovian morsel from your trainers.
Posted by: chris | May 1, 2011, 8:00 pm 8:00 pm