Conservative Pundits Criticize Mitt Romney Gaffe: 'I'm Not Concerned About The Very Poor'

Conservative pundits are shaking their heads at Mitt Romney's latest gaffe about wealth.

On Wednesday, the Republican frontrunner said, "I'm not concerned about the very poor," adding that there was a social safety net in place and that he was focused on the middle class. Watch the segment in the clip above.

The statement was roundly criticized as the latest in a line of remarks that make Romney -- who is worth between $190 million and $250 million -- sound out-of-touch with ordinary Americans.

Talking Points Memo rounded up conservative criticism of Romney's gaffe on Wednesday. The Weekly Standard's John McCormack called it "the most idiotic thing a politician has ever said," and Michelle Malkin reacted with the word "Facepalm."

Other pundits like The National Review's Jonah Goldberg lamented that Romney's gaffes seemed to support caricatures of conservatives. At the American Spectator, Aaron Goldstein wrote, "Romney has to stop handing Obama weapons that can be used against him."

Critics also took issue with Romney's reference to Americans' reliance on safety net programs like food stamps, housing vouchers and Medicaid. At Commentary Magazine, Bethany Mandel alleged that the candidate "glorified a system Americans find either insufficient or too far-reaching."

Also on HuffPost:

The richest presidential candidates:

Comments

[tomascini]

03:07 AM on 03/06/2012

Wonder what stuff he might say if he does get elected. Then you folks are going to be having yourself a very stimulating President! And I can't wait to watch it all on the Daily Show and SNL.

[oky1dokey]

11:34 PM on 02/21/2012

What do expect from a man who straps his dog to the roof of his car for 12 hours?

[A Davis]

05:53 PM on 02/03/2012

poor guy doesn't know whether to poop or go blind.

i listened to the clip, and he says he wants to focus on middle income americans because the poor have a safety net (which, if it has holes in it, he will fix 'em). but the safety net is often called "entitlement" and president obama is referred to as seeking "big government"... which includes social programs for the very poor.

the safety net.

can't have it both ways.

plus, his concern for the middle class is misplaced. the middle class is rapidly becoming the poor, and so he must be concerned with all americans, rich, poor and in between.

i think it was a goofy thought process myself.

[l78lancer]

04:14 PM on 02/03/2012

Romney's mouth is a weapon of mass destruction. He will never get used to breathing the air outside the ivory tower like the rest of us.

[FatherH]

01:30 PM on 02/03/2012

So the then, he goes to Donald Trump for an endorsement, please Mr. Romney, don't stop now! lol.

[dmm1047]

01:20 PM on 02/03/2012

Romney is just plain silly.

[biscuitdave]

11:03 AM on 02/03/2012

They know it's a disaster, they know running the rich-white-guy caricature will be a factor in the general, but he's going to be the nominee anyway. Joe Scarborough rationally predicted that some of Mitt's tax returns from the market's down years will end up showing zero taxes paid. If I was still a Republican, I might give this one up for lost and start planning for 2016.

[Windpiper]

09:27 AM on 02/03/2012

In conservative world it's okay to not give a flip about the poor, just don't admit it.

[annie555]

11:24 AM on 02/03/2012

If you think this country needs a "successful businessman" to run it, this is exactly what the CEO in Chief sounds like.

[tiji]

08:30 AM on 02/03/2012

They know deep inside that Romney ( the Swiss bank man and $374K Speaking fees is nothing) cannot win this election. They are waiting for 2016.

[l78lancer]

03:39 AM on 02/03/2012

It's going to be hard for Romney to stop the gaffes. His statements, no matter how bad they sound, are true and accurate representations of conservative positions. The problem is that he isn't a convincing salesman for conservativism - people on the right don't believe him and he doesn't believe himself. Changing his wording is not the solution. Changing the right's views and positions in issues is the only to mitigate this tragedy in motion.

[92102]

02:13 AM on 02/03/2012

And many southern poor people will actually vote for this android.

[92102]

02:12 AM on 02/03/2012

"I'm not concerned about humans," the Romnex12 said just before being taken back to the engineering department for a replacement chip.

[chomedey]

12:57 AM on 02/03/2012

finally he tell the truth,,,about him,,,,,,,,,,' me, myself, and I ,,,.

[ButchManowski]

12:16 AM on 02/03/2012

Next he'll say poor old people live too long...

[ButchManowski]

12:15 AM on 02/03/2012

He said exactly what the GOP believes.

It's like revealing the secret handshake of the billionaires.