Mitt Romney might only be running in the GOP primary, but he’s still managed to raise the hackles of Democrats with fresh comments about the nation’s housing crisis.
Romney recently told a Las Vegas newspaper that the housing market needs to “hit the bottom,” despite thousands of Americans having already faced foreclosure. This triggered a rush of criticism from Democrats, some of whom circulated a petition demanding an apology from Romney.
Protestors also attempted to crash a $2,500-a-plate Romney fundraiser yesterday, a move that was praised by the progressive groups MoveOn.org and Americans United for Change.
Democratic National Committee spokesman Michael Czin weighed in as well, suggesting Romney’s comments showed he was out of touch:
“This really pulled the Band-Aid off for a lot of folks. While the president is out there discussing how to help people stay in their homes, Mitt Romney is out there saying we have to hit bottom faster. For folks in Nevada and across the country struggling, those comments really hit home.”
Democrats have previously alleged Romney has relationships with Wall Street financiers that are far too cozy. Protesters waved signs at Romney’s fundraiser with slogans such as ‘Greed is Good,’ alongside an image of Gordon Gekko , a fictional financier from the movie “Wall Street.”
Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Sun highlighted the fact that Romney’s campaign was boosted by a $1 million donation from the very not-fictional Wall Street financier John Paulson. Paulson’s hedge fund reportedly made close to $3 billion in profit from the housing collapse.