Although Republican challenger Mitt Romney has laid out very few specific national policies in the course of his campaign for US president, he has impressively managed to say the wrong thing almost every time he attacked incumbent president Barack Obama.

Romney blasted Obama following the tragic killing of the US ambassador to Libya last week, nearly becoming "enemy of the state" for politicizing the incident. On Sept. 17, the website of the liberal political magazine Mother Jones broadcasted a secret video on Romney's speech at a fundraiser earlier this year, where he is shown saying that 47 percent of American people will vote for Obama, and these 47 percent are dependent upon government for health care, food and housing without paying any taxation. "My job is not to worry about these people," Romney says in the video.

His words disappointed not only voters, but also members of Romney's own party. Conservative stalwart William Kristol wrote that Romney's comments were "stupid and arrogant", and Romney seemed to have contempt not only for the Democrats who oppose him, but for tens of millions who intend to vote for him. Linda McMahon, the Republican candidate for a Senate seat in Connecticut, and Scott Brown, Democratic senator in Massachusetts even said they pointedly disagreed with Romney's statement.

Romney is paying the price for his inappropriate words ― according to a new Washington Post poll, President Obama holds a clear lead over Romney in Virginia, a state which is critical to Romney's hopes of winning the White House. Among likely voters, Obama leads Romney 52 percent to 44 percent. With fading optimism on election campaign, Romney's team is considering changing campaign strategies. However, time is running out and they may not get many more chances.

The news has created a good opportunity for Obama to easily win over those who have been disappointed by Romney's constant gaffes. White House press secretary Jay Carney commented on the Romney video, saying, "When you're president of the United States, you are president of all the people, not just the people who voted for you."

Though no direct attack was used, Carney's statement will surely awaken many wavering voters. If Romney continues to make such inconsistent and offensive statements as the campaign goes into the presidential debates next month, he will only further alienate himself with voters, lessening his chances for a comeback by Election Day.

The author is now a visiting scholar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.h5a3.com/opinion/weihongxia.htm

(This post was written in Chinese and translated by Li Xiaohua)

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