American Morning

June 17th, 2011
05:25 AM ET

Question of the Day: Do you think Mitt Romney's joke connected with viewers or did he seem out of touch?

(CNN) After listening to a group of unemployed Floridians discuss the challenges they face in the job market, presidential hopeful -and multi-millionaire– Mitt Romney cheekily divulged, "I am also unemployed."

Romney's remarks were greeted with laughter from the crowd, but not everyone appreciated his humor. Many Democrats are now criticizing Romney's joke, with Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz calling his statement inappropriate and insensitive.

American Morning wants to know: Do you think Mitt Romney's joke connected with viewers or did he seem out of touch?

Post your answer here. Your response might be included in this morning’s broadcast.

Filed under: AM Asks
soundoff (25 Responses)
  1. Gordon Caie Galveston Tx

    I wouldn't say Mr. Romney is out of touch with that particular comment, but I think if you take everything he has said and done since the last election one would come to the conclusion he is on the wrong stage.
    He has proven he can make the money needed but consistently does things to disenchant voters.
    Skipping Straw Polls, Flip=flopping, the lavish spending in his campaigns-etc etc, shows just how out of touch they all are with the American populace. All but ONE!

    June 17, 2011 at 8:10 am |
  2. vsl

    Are you people nuts? I can't believe what a big deal you've made out of an ice breaking joke .Get real.

    June 17, 2011 at 8:05 am |
  3. Amy Skeens

    His joke seemed well received within that particular group, but it just supports how out of touch our leaders can be. After your references to salaries and net worth earlier this morning it is clear that they may be empathetic, but have no idea what "average Americans" are going through. Of course, just being a an "average multi-millionaire" when he aspires to be President probably makes him consider himself "under-employed", huh?

    June 17, 2011 at 8:04 am |
  4. Dan

    I am a not a republican or a Mormon, and will probably will vote for Obama, but, I found his joke non offensive and st least mildly amusing. People make jokes. Jokes are often a way to deal with sober and tragic events. Hypersensitivity is kinda funny

    June 17, 2011 at 8:03 am |
  5. Cliff in Michigan

    Your question says it all: He wasn't connecting with "viewers." He was connecting with a small group around a table.

    But to answer the question: I don't think he's ever been completely out of touch. I don't agree with his politics very much, but I think he cares about the issues.

    We can find more constructive ways to debate him than to jump all over a friendly conversation where he's trying to charm a few voters.

    June 17, 2011 at 8:03 am |
  6. Roger Russell

    I think Romney said something as a joke and not in a rude or disrespectful way. What is wrong is that he jumped all over Obama for using a phrase "bump in the road". So tit for tat Mr. Romney. If your going to give it, be prepared to get it.

    June 17, 2011 at 8:01 am |
  7. john spitz

    how could he have any comprehension of what it's like to live one step above the poverty level. he's never been in touch. if this is the best the g.o.p. has see ya later

    June 17, 2011 at 7:56 am |
  8. Gerald Hays

    Yes there is one difference Romney is a multi millionaire and the people he was talking to need money

    June 17, 2011 at 7:55 am |
  9. MeLoN

    It was a JOKE. The deperate Democratic propaganda machine known as CNN is doing their best to make it into an issue because they can see what is doming down the tracks – that Obama will not be re-elected. It is the Democrats tax and uncontrolled spending policies that have got us to where we are now.

    June 17, 2011 at 7:48 am |
  10. paul

    I'm not a Romney fan but every intelligent informed person on earth knows that he is unemployed because he chooses to be, he has other ambitions. He simply injected harmless humor into a conversation to put the other participants at ease an it looked very successful I heard at least one of them wise cracking back to him. He showed an understanding of their world talking about networking, its a big part of a job seekers life. I found it a likeable exchange and tend to think of the people that make more of it as "PITA"s.

    June 17, 2011 at 7:47 am |
  11. foundluckystar

    Romney is so out of touch. Sure it must be easy for him to be unemployed with millions in the bank account, he should try it with only hundreds or how about with no money in the bank at all. If he really wants to have a chance at the white house, he may want to reconsider the way he "relates"

    June 17, 2011 at 7:29 am |
  12. tod hale

    Dem or Republican, it's another "harmless" statement made by a privileged trust fund baby (born on third base, thinks he has hit a triple) that he should have known he'd get hammered for saying. Shouldn't campaign managers be emphasizing what NOT to do? The GOP smells blood in the water, so stick to the script, Mitt.

    June 17, 2011 at 7:28 am |
  13. Tony

    Romney's comment was thoughtless and typical of the GOP and many Democrats. An old farmer said "If you want to clear up the water you need to get the Pigs out of the creek"!

    June 17, 2011 at 7:23 am |
  14. peter b

    I am not a fan of Romney but his comment is no big deal. It was just a lame joke. This issue will only have legs if he continues to try be amusing. I doubt if he will replace ever replace Leno.

    June 17, 2011 at 7:06 am |
  15. jack

    it is debbie schultz and the liberal dems who are completely out of is their failed economic socialist policies that have caused the unemployment...businesses cannot hire people in the face of uncertainty about government regulations, taxes and obamacare. socialism has never worked anywhere in the history of the world. these democrats must think that "this time it's different"

    June 17, 2011 at 6:59 am |
  16. shim wilson

    Must be nice to have F U money. Pretty swarmy.

    June 17, 2011 at 6:54 am |
  17. Geet

    If he belonged to middle class family, struggling with bills and having to make difficult choices, I'm sure the basic struggle to survive wouldn't seem like a joke to him.

    June 17, 2011 at 6:52 am |
  18. Ed

    Mitt Romney is a phony... as is all the rich people in the Congress... thay are millionaires and never have to worry about anything... They are all out of touch,,, but Mitt;s comments about being unemployed and just plain old insensirive... the wealthy rule... and thats it for us.... what a joke... for him to say that... plus he is a Mormon.... and they are all nuts ... Maybe he can buy me a planet ... Ed

    June 17, 2011 at 6:46 am |
  19. John Neumann

    Mr. Romney just lost my vote! What a callous thing to say. While I am currently employed his statement tells me that he is out of touch with most Americans, especially those that are unemployed.

    June 17, 2011 at 6:45 am |
  20. Bob in Houston

    Mitt Romney is out of touch with the everyday American. If he can tell a joke about being unemployed when he is worth more than $200 million dollars, I don't believe he understands what the life of the average American is like; spending more than $40 million dollars on your own presidential candidacy is not an opportunity that most Americans have.

    June 17, 2011 at 6:42 am |
  21. Shane Stines

    Give me a break, is this the kind of nit picking we have to look forward to during election 2012? I'm a democrat and I honestly found what Romney said funny. It's not as if he was belittling the unemployed, if anything he was making himself look easy going and personable.

    June 17, 2011 at 6:39 am |
  22. U.A Zhjondon

    It was a desperate attempt to connect with a group of people. As to if it was out of touch is relative. In general, I think all those GOP hopefuls are out of touch with reality. There seems an almost childish banter about their perpetual criticism of Democratic governance. If grown men and women are going to keep criticizing Obama, then it would be noble to proffer specific alternatives. A step further would be to adopt ghe collaborative imperative that drives institutional success. This divisive stance is the reason why America in all of it's might will forever remain, well, divided!

    June 17, 2011 at 6:30 am |
  23. Angela Adkins

    Romney 'joke' shows just how out of touch he is. It was a callous comment to make. If you are a millionaire your money is never 'unemployed', it is earning its own money.

    June 17, 2011 at 6:19 am |
  24. Galveston Tea

    I think its a joke that CNN didnt even post their own poll results on the debate in which Ron Paul took 80% of the vote for the winner of the debate. So CNN uses a neoconservative magazine to tell who won their own debate!lol

    To answer the question, Mitt Romney is out of touch and the debate was a sham. Since when do republicans not go after the front runner.
    People like Bachmann and Santorum, Grinch and Pawlenty sat mum while Mitt exposed himself several times.
    The debate was a sham and they were told to side step and back down and they did.
    Romney is the establishment/MSM choice but would NEVER be the peoples choice.

    June 17, 2011 at 5:58 am |
  25. Peter camacho

    It is a smack in the face of human sensibility . A cheap shot. The kind of attitude that tje GOP has has and tried to cover for yrs by supposed inclusion And new race face pic opportunity . Eyes he's out of touch . Actually he's arrogant .

    June 17, 2011 at 5:54 am |