海角大神

Mitt Romney is complaining about 鈥済ifts鈥� 鈥� but to Democrats, it鈥檚 Mr. Romney who鈥檚 the gift. And he keeps on giving. 聽

The Republicans鈥� failed presidential nominee has inflamed intraparty tension by blaming his loss on President Obama鈥檚 鈥済ifts鈥� to young voters and minorities 鈥� health coverage, contraceptive coverage in health insurance, forgiveness of interest on college loans 鈥� not any failings of his own as a candidate.

Mr. Romney made the comments Wednesday afternoon on a conference call with fundraisers and donors, a few of whom allowed reporters to listen in. Later in the day, Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) of Louisiana, new chairman of the Republican Governors Association (RGA), became 鈥渧isibly agitated鈥� at a press conference when asked about Romney鈥檚 remarks, according to Politico.听

鈥淣o, I think that鈥檚 absolutely wrong,鈥� said Governor Jindal, a rising Republican star who is Indian-American, speaking at an RGA meeting in Las Vegas. 鈥淭wo points on that: One, we have got to stop dividing the American voters. We need to go after 100 percent of the votes, not 53 percent. We need to go after every single vote.鈥�

鈥淎nd, secondly,鈥� Jindal continued, 鈥渨e need to continue to show how our policies help every voter out there achieve the American dream, which is to be in the middle class, which is to be able to give their children an opportunity to be able to get a great education. 鈥� So, I absolutely reject that notion, that description. I think that鈥檚 absolutely wrong.鈥�

Romney was echoing his infamous 鈥�47 percent鈥� comment during a fundraiser in May 鈥� that 47 percent of the public will vote for Obama 鈥渘o matter what,鈥� because they depend on government and see themselves as victims. It may have been the most damaging gaffe of Romney鈥檚 campaign.

Obama crushed Romney among minorities 鈥� winning 93 percent of African-Americans and 71 percent of Latinos 鈥� and he won 60 percent of voters ages 18 to 29.

In his comments to donors, Romney said the Obama administration had been 鈥渧ery generous鈥� to those groups.

"With regards to the young people, for instance, a forgiveness of college loan interest was a big gift," Romney said, according to The New York Times. "Free contraceptives were very big with young, college-aged women. And then, finally, Obamacare also made a difference for them, because as you know, anybody now 26 years of age and younger was now going to be part of their parents' plan, and that was a big gift to young people.鈥�

Romney maintained that he had focused on talking about 鈥渂ig issues for the whole country,鈥� such as military strategy, foreign policy, and job creation.

Top Republicans such as Jindal, who may be contemplating a presidential run in 2016, are trying to steer the party away from blaming voters for last week鈥檚 outcome and toward a more inclusive approach to an electorate that is only growing less white with each election.

Jindal also blamed Romney鈥檚 loss on his failure to present a 鈥渧ision.鈥�

鈥淕overnor Romney鈥檚 an honorable person that needs to be thanked for his many years of public service, but his campaign was largely about his biography and his experience,鈥� Jindal said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 a very impressive biography and very impressive set of experiences. But time and time again, biography and experience is not enough to win an election. You have to have a vision. You have to connect your policies to the aspirations of the American people. I don鈥檛 think the campaign did that, and as a result this became a contest between personalities.鈥�

No word on what Jindal thought about comments Monday by Rep. Paul Ryan, Romney鈥檚 running mate, who told a Madison, Wis., TV station that his ticket lost because of Obama鈥檚 strength in 鈥渦rban areas鈥� 鈥� another likely reference to minorities.听