High comedy? Sure. Saying what he was really thinking? I doubt it.
I’d be surprised if he actually believes that 47% of Americans think that they’re victims who are entitled to “you-name-it.” I think he was just toadying up to those who 1) believe everything Rush tells them and 2)have lots of money that they’re willing to give to him.
Rush, Sean, etc. are very fond of these statistics. And so are their followers. So, like any politician, Mitt is playing to the audience in front of him. In this case, people who respond to the right-wing myth that all people who don’t pay federal income tax consider themselves victims who are entitled to support from the government.
I don’t think we’ll ever hear what a politician really thinks. And if we do, he probably won’t go very far. Because most voters don’t want to hear what a politician thinks. Most voters want to hear what they want to hear.
Politicians have no doubt been saying things like this to groups like this for centuries. But with pocket-sized cameras in virtually every room they’ll ever speak in, and especially after this debacle, I doubt the tradition will continue much longer.
