Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) does the requisite distancing from Mitt Romney’s 47% comments …
“I do believe the federal government has certain responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is building bridges and roads, and national defense,” Heller said Wednesday in Washington. “I also believe in a safety net for individuals who need the help, so that’s why I would respectfully disagree with the comments that (Romney) made.”
Heller pointed out that his mom was a school cafeteria cook, so that he had a “different view of the world” than Romney.
One thing I notice is that these ‘distance comments’ are all very similar. From Scott Brown: “It’s not the way I view the world.” Distancing but antiseptic. For obvious reasons they have no desire to denigrate or create their standard-bearer. But saying you have a different world view is actually a pretty global, pretty totalizing criticism.
There’s one way you react to this if you’re a professional ideologue. Quite another if you have to face actual voters. In case it needs saying, calling half the population trash is toxic.
