Rendell slams Romney's Philly visit and "47%" comments
Former Gov. Ed Rendell held a news conference concurrent with the fund-raiser, saying the former Massachusetts governor's comments about the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay federal income tax -- secretly recorded at a Florida fund-raiser earlier this year -- provide a "chance to look deep into "Gov. Romney's soul."
Rendell slams Romney's Philly visit and "47%" comments
Chris Brennan
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney just wrapped up a private fund-raiser at the Union League -- his campaign declined to allow the Daily News to attend -- and is headed now to Valley Forge Military Academy & College for a public rally.
Protesters from Philly for Change and other organizations rallied outside the Union League, where Romney contributors chipped in between $25,000 and $2,500 per person. The Romney campaign hopes to raise $3.5 million to $4 million in Philly.
Former Gov. Ed Rendell held a news conference concurrent with the fund-raiser, saying the former Massachusetts governor's comments about the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay federal income tax -- secretly recorded at a Florida fund-raiser earlier this year -- provide a "chance to look deep into "Gov. Romney's soul."
Rendell said many of the people in the 47 percent are retired, disabled veterans or work jobs that don't pay enough to require federal income tax payments.
"It's a view of Gov. Romney's perception of America," Rendell said. "And it's dead wrong."
Rendell, who now serves as a political analyst for MSNBC, said it was "premature" for Romney to write off his chances of winning Pennsylvania. Romney, who trails President Obama by an average of 8 points when seven recent polls are considered, is not running campaign ads in Pennsylvania.
"I think they should invest in Pennsylvania," Rendell said of Romney's campaign. "Right now, where they are in the polls in other battleground states they might as well come back in Pennsylvania and play. But we're ready if they do."
Comments (36)
your getting fat again you big windbag
.— bannedrepublican- Ed Spendell. A guy that increased state spending 40% during his 8 years as governor, from $20B to $28B. I wish the guy would crawl back under his rock— robtpenn
- Hydraulic fracking in the state was approved by Rendell. some of his administrion people went to work as lobbyists' for the industry.— Phishface
- Out of 47% about 25% are retired citizens and not all of them need goverments help. As far as military 850K reserve and about 1.5 soldiers on active duty. Not even 1% 315 million Americans. Lets say I am wrong and us army and reserve is 2% (it's not but let's say it is). Comes down to 27%. You do the rest.
— Nitroglycerin - Eddie ought to stick to Eagles football commentary.— phillycaster
- Rendell left a bankrupt PA treasury, phony inflated K-12 scores and huge numbers of cheats and duplicate players on the welfare rolls.He neglected what Western PA offers in energy benefits for all Pennsylvanians such that we almost did, and may still, lose the opportunity of a lifetime.
He knows Romney is talking about people taking advantage of the safety net, not the solidly deserving.That's something "fast Eddie" blinded himself to if the con-man was a Democratic voter.— penllynjohn - Rendell should have disbanded the SRC the minute he took office, that much is true, but the rest is pure bunk.
- Sure "Accountability", you are full of "knowledge." Mitt pledged to a fraternity at the end of his freshman year, never told them he was leaving, and suddenly during the summer, withdrew from school and went on a 2 year Mormon missionary trip, which at that time excused him from the draft. He only would have been eligible for the draft upon leaving Stanford. So he didn't "transfer"---that didn't happen for 2 years. Moreover, he actively dodged the draft despite being openly pro-war, something he has in common with all the neo-cons he has inherited from George Bush. So there is no defense for this guy--he is a dropout, a draft dodger and a person who has had everything handed to him in his life yet still thinks he is better than the average guy who had none of his advantages. Thank goodness he is going down--he is one of the worst candidates ever put up---can you imagine the social unrest if he and his principles got the power to crush the social safety net?— Palestra Jon
- Hey Phillyrican wake and smell the coffee first off capital gains is made from money from your paycheck that you paid taxes on. Second he also gave 4 million to charity which helps more people than government does. So your complaining about the money Romney can hide from his deductions but how many deductions do you take? Hey how about we go to a flat tax or a national sales tax and get rid of all deductions but we can't do that because then the powerbrokers wouldn't be able to steal money from the rest of us. Your complaining about Romney but aren't paying a lick of attention to what Obama is doing. How much has he changed from the Bush years? You people keep saying about trickle down, but giving the government more money to give it out as they see fit is the definition of trickle down. If the democratic way works so well why is Philly so bad?— skills
- How about we remove the exemption for the wealthy that allows them to stop paying SS tax after their first 105K? That would keep SS solvent indefinitely. No, skills, Americans won't fall for your bluster, smoke, and mirrors this time. One candidate is for the uber-elite. President Obama is for ALL Americans.
- phillyrican48... GOP Apologists? Get real. I don't think you even know what Romney really said and the context in which he was saying it but don't let that get in the way of a holier than thou rant, right?— CA Scum
- Knowing the context makes the comment sound even worse. He was responding to a question about what he was going to do about all of the lazy deadbeats in this country. He said that he didn't have time for nearly half of america that will never take personal responsibility for themselves. I'm sorry, Mitt, but how would you know what it takes to work two jobs and raise children on your own? How would you know what it feels like to serve your country or pay into social security your whole life only to be told you're a leach.
- If you want to get a job, or to keep the one you have, vote for Romney.
If you want to subsist off foodstamps, vote for Obama.
Simple decision.— Mr. Smith - People: I can not belive the GOP apologists. What he said was as clear as day! I hate the buzz words and labels tha republicans use all the time, like "entitlements". I did not choose how much the goverment takes out of my pay for SS & Medicare, nor did I have a choice. Nevertheless monies were taken out of my pay, therefore I PAID into my "entitlement". I am not taking money for nothing, I earned it. How "patriotic" is it to send jobs overseas, put your money in off shore accounts for tax puposes and talk about "entitlements" when you use every means at your disposal to pay as little as possible. It is very clear: how does it make sense for a wealthy individual to pay less taxes (as a percentage of income) than a working stiff? Hipocrites!!— phillyrican48
- Maybe Midge can provide us with a "chance to look deep into "Gov. Rendell's soul."
— Charburger - Say what you will about Ed, he is 100% correct about this. There is no way to "explain away" Mitt's 47% comment. He said, in plain language that he believes they feel they are victims, that they are entitled and showed that he, who inherited everything he has, is better than they are. First, he's wrong, only 2% are on public assistance and the rest are seniors who paid all their lives, disabled and the working poor, who still pay more in payroll tax than Mitt does over his gigantic "did nothing for it" income, because he gets to call his income "capital gains" and shelters the rest. What a joke. How can he insult people who work hard for $30-40,000 per year who still pay 15% payroll tax, which Mitt does not pay. That statement revealed the inner snob that is Mitt Romney--a guy who flunked out of Stanford, and whose daddy bought him into Harvard, a guy who lived off a trust fund for years and whose Daddy introduced him to the venture capital people who funded him the rest of the way. Mitt never did a deal himself---he was just the connected frontman, who was happy to collect many millions from other people's work and an inheritance. And this guy, who never had to work for everything, has the temerity to criticize those who work 2 jobs to just get by? What a A--. And the American people heard him and no matter what spin you wingnuts put on it, no one is fooled. He said it and he meant it. Time for the people's judgment on the man.— Palestra Jon
- You've been drinking too much liberal Kool Aid. 35% of Americans receive means tested government assistance. This is triple the amount of only 25 years ago. Also, nobody pays 15% payroll tax...they pay half, and their greedy employer pays the other half. You obviously don't understand tax law, and the multiple layers of taxation capital gains are exposed to prior to them actually becoming a gain; otherwise you would never make such off the wall comments. Also, Mitt Romney did not flunk out of Stanford; he attended for one year and transferred to BYU. It's un-informed voters like you that will ultimately be the demise of this great nation. Stay at home on election day unless you are fully informed of the issues. — Accountability
- When he was mayor Rendell used the same Republican trickle down theories for Philadelphia and while all his fat cat cronies got rich in Center City (where all of the $$$ was spent) the real Philadelphia neighborhoods (like SW Philly) rotted! He should keep his fat mouth shut and go away. Even the Democrats have no respect for that crook.— Charburger
- That's why you republicans had such an easy time beating him all those time, right? Oh wait...
- I always enjoy it when one off the record, private comment by Romney won't die, but the media explains away anything the President says. And they say there's no liberal slant in the media.— The_Z_Man_97
- Yet Fox News has the highest ratings and audience with its Romney backed agenda. The slant isn't liberal, its conservative. — Kmonster
- If President Obama said that he didn't have time to worry about half of Americans, including our seniors and solders, because they're too lazy to worry about themselves, it would be news.
Hahah there's a group called Philly for Change. How about they start at City Hall by removing the same crooks that have been "running" this city for the last 30 years— centard- hey Eddie, any outrage over real issues like our POTUS lying to america about a terrorist attack in order to protect ? ? ?— 420Phillie
- So why not move to China already where they share Romney's beliefs. I'm sure he can hook you up with a job working six days a week earning ten cents an hour.
- huh? sounds like your a typical sheep of the media. do u even have the ability to think for yourself or just regurgitate what the media spews? but it's ok, people like you that talk about Mitt and China when defending our current president lying about a terrorist attack makes me happy I'm not a BO supporter — 420Phillie
- He never lied about a terrorist attack, but Fox News lied to you and you believed it. Just admit that you don't like BO because he's black. — Kmonster
- Fast Eddie...shut up and go away, please. You bankrupted Pennsylvania, so spare the rest of the country, ok? Your man Obama doesn't need any more help destroying our country. Don't take this post as an endorsement of Romney, either folks.— FletcherT
- Right, Rendell gets $250,000 per year from the big law firm for doing nothing, but claims it on his income tax and all is well. How many city (when he was mayor) and state (when he was governor) did this law firm get by paying him this money. Same law firm paid Fumo $1 million for doing nothing too!. You can look it up!— TheGuyfromPhilly
- Prove that he does nothing, you have baseless claims. I'm sure McDonalds pays you to do nothing as well. — Kmonster
- Who cares. Romney was born with more than that stuffed into his diapers, and hides way more than that off shore to avoid paying his fair share of taxes.
- This comment has been deleted.— Frank Furter
- The real fact check is to say that, not 47%, but 97% of us have paid no income tax at one time or another. Remember your first job? I'll bet you got all of your federal taxes back too, just like the rest of us. The reason that we're in a much better position than Europe is that we didn't embrace the crazy right wing austerity measures that those countries did. Electing Romney would surely lead us right down the same path as Greece and Spain.
- Rendell is about 2 weeks late with his "outrage".— LouDiamondPhillipsheadScrewdriver
- Romney's disdain for seniors, veterans, families with $50,000 income is still engraved in his soul.
It is not late to expose the dark soul of Romney. Romney has a corrupt soul.— Seed
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Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns. E-mail tips to brennac@phillynews.com
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
Follow Dave on Twitter.
Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
Follow Jan on Twitter
Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
Follow Sean on Twitter
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