It was bad enough for some Republicans that Mitt Romney couldn't close the deal against a wounded incumbent in the presidential election. But his not so private remarks to friends and fundraisers this past week that he lost in strong part because Obama gave out "gifts" to blacks, Latinos and young voters has given a free pass to members of the GOP to openly trash the just vanquished candidate.
Beginning with the qualifier that Romney was an "honorable and exceptional" man, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who may have presidential ambitions in 2016, told Fox News Sunday's Chris Wallace, "I absolutely reject what he said. Look, we as the Republican Party have to campaign for every single vote."
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"If we want people to like us, we have to like them first," he added. "And you don't start to like people by insulting them and saying their votes were bought. We are an aspirational party."
On ABC's This Week, Newt Gingrich said "I just think it's nuts," remarking on Romney's comments. "I mean, first of all, it's insulting."
“The job of a political leader in part is to understand the people. If we can't offer a better future that is believable to more people, we're not going to win,” the former House Speaker added.
This article appears in Nov 15-21, 2012.