Doherty Distances Himself from 47 Percent Remark

Brendan Doherty has distanced himself from Mitt Romney’s politically devastating comments about the 47 percent, according to the Providence Journal.

“I don’t agree with Mitt Romney’s characterization,” Doherty said in a statement to the ProJo.

Exactly what part of Romney’s diatribe against income tax-less moochers with no personal responsibility Doherty disagrees with wasn’t clear. He didn’t actually talk to the reporter, John Mulligan, rather Doherty just sent a press release about it, it seems.

But at least Mulligan got a release. I made several overtures to the Doherty campaign and they ignored them all. (And Dave Layman and I are friends!) It’s almost as if Doherty disdains progressives the way Romney does the 47 percent.

What is clear is what Doherty, who has endorsed Romney for president, has said about him in the past: “Mitt Romney is a proven leader who will stand by his convictions while seeking consensus to find real solutions to the daunting challenges facing our nation.”

It’s hard to make the case that Romney is a consensus builder after he got caught on video saying “my job is is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”

It’s also going to be hard for Doherty to make the case that he doesn’t share Romney’s belief that poor people are lazy and lucky. Especially when he then campaigns with other right-wing Republicans like Devin Nunes, about whom Democratic Party spokesman Bill Fischer said, “Nunes has described Medicaid as a program ‘imposed on the poor’ and has stood with Paul Ryan in support of radically altering the safety net for our seniors.”

Similarly, Doherty wants to repeal Obamacare but extend George Bush’s tax cuts for the rich.

Doherty may say he doesn’t agree with Romney’s off-color comments about the 47 percent, but if elected you can bet he would vote as if he agrees with them.