Republican candidate for president Mitt Romney has suddenly changed his tune on which Americans he believes he represents.
"This is a campaign about the 100%," Romney said while speaking Wednesday night in Florida at a Univision-sponsored forum at the University of Miami.
That remark stands in contrast to the comments made by Romney at a May fundraiser in Florida in which he was secretly recorded saying he'd never win over 47% of the electorate due to their "dependence upon government" and inability to take personal responsibility. These comments came to light this week after liberal magazine Mother Jones released the tape.
The Romney campaign has sought to turn the controversy into a discussion on the government's role in society and the economy. But Romney had not directly backed away from the 47% figure until now.
The candidate went on to repeat the "100%" phrase several times during Wednesday's event.
"My campaign is about the 100% in America and I'm concerned about them," he said.
"I've demonstrated my capacity to help the 100%," Romney later added.
At a Florida campaign event, the Republican candidate also seemed interested in casting a wider—more inclusive—net for his campaign.
"That's how America works. We have big hearts. We care for people who have needs. We help lift them up," Romney said. "But then we don't make that a permanent lifestyle."
So a slight GOP-inspired hedge on words President Obama lobbed at Romney only the day before on late-night TV.