Emily Friedman
ABC News

MIAMI – Mitt Romney called the Republican Party the “natural home” for Hispanic voters, saying, in his first campaign rally in nearly five days, that America is a place that helps those struggling get back on their feet but won’t make government dependency a “permanent lifestyle.”

“This party is the natural home for Hispanic Americans,” Romney said to cheers at a “Juntos con Romney” rally.  It was Romney’s first campaign event since leaked videos emerged of him speaking at a private fundraiser in May where he appeared to criticize 47 percent of Americans for considering themselves “victims” who feel “entitled” to government assistance.

Speaking through various interruptions, one protestor, getting no further than screaming  ”The 47 percent!,” a reference to those leaked videos, Romney tried to paint a picture of a presidency that would do the best job of  pulling Hispanics out of poverty.

To do that, Romney used the story of his own Mexican-born father as an example of someone who received government assistance but then made it on his own.

“I mentioned my dad, my dad was born in Mexico of Americans parents living there. At age 5 or 6 there was revolution,” Romney said. “They came back to the United States, and my dad had to get help, financial help, the government helped his family be able to get on their feet again. By the way, that’s the way America works, we have great hearts, we care for people who have needs. We help get them back. We help lift them up but then they go back to their permanent lifestyle.”

“We get them on their feet, and they build a brighter future,” he said.

To further what he said was a “stark” choice between himself and the president, Romney continued to draw on old comments made by then-Sen. Barack Obama in which he spoke in favor of  “redistribution.”

SOURCE

Related articles

• Romney: I care about the 100% (iol.co.za)
• Mitt Romney: ‘My campaign is about the 100 percent’ (mcclatchydc.com)
• Romney courts Hispanics, wishes he were one (cbsnews.com)
• Opinion: Romney better off as a Latino? (cnn.com)
• Mitt Romney, ‘in trouble’ with Hispanics, launches outreach at Univision, Miami rally today (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• ‘Juntos Con Romney’ rally Wednesday in Miami (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• Romney: Being Hispanic Would Help Me Win (theroot.com)
• Romney Visiting Miami Wednesday (miami.cbslocal.com)
• Guantanamera, Marco Rubio and the Mitt Romney Miami rally (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• Romney makes pitch for Latino vote (upi.com)