Was Romney Right About the 47 Percent or Will This Doom His Campaign?

Gov. Mitt Romney was in Atlanta Wednesday at a fundraiser at the Marriott Marquis.

In a speech to GOP supporters, the Republican Presidential candidate responded to claims that he’s brushed aside half the country and countered that it is he, not President Barack Obama, who is the best candidate to help better the lives of America’s poor.

Romney, who was introduced by Gov. Nathan Deal, highlighted the perceived failures of Obama’s economic strategies and said he could help the middle class and poor and fix America’s economy if elected.

Read more from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Romney's Wednesday visit here.  

Romney’s visit came just days after a secret video obtained by Mother Jones magazine rocked the political world. In that video, Romney said 47 percent of Americans believe they are victims, are dependent on the government and will never vote for him. He went further, saying he wasn't worried about them. The magazine released a portion of the video Monday.

In a late night press conference Monday, Romney said the comments were not "elegantly stated," but were part of a larger conversation about the role of personal responsibility. Romney went on to say the comments were a reflection on "the political process of winning an election, and, of course, I want to help all Americans — all Americans — have a bright and prosperous future."

Mother Jones later released the full video.

Do you think the video shows Romney's true feelings about half of the American electorate, or was this an out-of-context snippet? Will this hurt Romney's chances of willing the election, or is it one blip in a very long campaign? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

(Editor's note: This question came from Jamaica Plain NY Patch.)