Leaked Video Starts #RomneyEncore Trend By Angry Netizens

The hashtag #RomneyEncore trended on Twitter on September 17 after a leaked video showing the US presidential candidate calling out 47 per cent of America 'who believe they are victims.' The leak came out just a couple of months before the November elections.

What The Video Said

In the video, Republican Party presidential candidate Mitt Romney said that the 47 per cent of Americans who will most likely vote for his opponent, incumbent president Barack Obama, are "dependent upon government, believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, and believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it." He had gone on to say that these same 47 per cent "paid no taxes" and therefore had no understanding of how his tax lowering plan would play out. He also said that this group is not likely to change their minds about their presidential choice and will, therefore, not be the focus of his campaign. "My job is not to worry about those people," said Romney in the video. "I'll never convince them; they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

Twitter Users Step Up

The statements angered many, who turned to Twitter to express their opinions. Here are some of the tweets we found.

Watch how Twitter activity spiked to almost 5,000 tweets per hour the moment the video was leaked. The video obtained by Mother Jones was reportedly taken at a private fundraising event early in 2012. The article exposing it was credited to writer David Corn.

Saving Face

Romney held a press conference at 10:00pm on the same day in a bid to defend his comments on the video. The presidentiable took three questions and said that his statements on the video were "inartfully worded." When asked about the '47 per cent' comment, he said: "Of course individuals are going to take responsibility for their lives. My campaign is about helping people take more responsibility and becoming employed again, particularly those who don?t have work," he said. "This whole campaign is based on getting people jobs again, putting people back to work. This is ultimately a question about direction for the country. Do you believe in a government-centered society that provides more and more benefits or do you believe instead in a free enterprise society where people are able to pursue their dreams?" What is your take on this issue and Romney's response to it? Tell us in the comments!