Obama, on Letterman Show, Responds to Romney Comments

September 18, 2012, 7:00 pm

By BILL CARTER

President Obama got his first chance to address the firestorm over Mitt Romney's comments about 47 percent of the electorate being victims who don't have a sense of personal responsibility Tuesday night in a scheduled appearance on David Letterman's late-night show on CBS.

Mr. Obama said Mr. Romney was wrong to categorize nearly half of Americans as people who saw themselves as victims and that he was “writing off a big chunk of the country”” by his statement, which was made at a fund-raiser last May.

Mr. Letterman did note that Mr. Obama made a similar gaffe in the 2008 campaign when he was caught on tape saying that voters in Pennsylvania retreated to their “guns and their religion.” Mr. Obama told Mr. Letterman that he had recognized that as a mistake and quickly apologized for it.

He also emphasized that he had sought to reassure the 47 percent of Americans who voted for John McCain in 2008 that he would be their president as well.

The two men also addressed the economy â€" Mr. Letterman said he still wanted to blame somebody and asked whether it could be Vice President Joe Biden - and the recent attacks on American diplomatic personnel and property in the Middle East.

Mr. Obama, who was the only guest on Tuesday's “Late Show With David Letterman,” received an enthusiastic greeting from the Letterman audience, who gave him a standing ovation as he walked onto the stage.

Mr. Letterman got an immediate laugh by noting the empty spot next to the president and asking: “Is there anything you want to say to the empty chair?” (That of course referred to Clint Eastwood's speech at the Republican convention when he spoke to an imagi nary Mr. Obama in an empty chair.

Mr. Obama got a big laugh as well after a discussion of how much in shape each man looked. Mr. Letterman said, “You haven't seen me naked.”

Mr. Obama said, “We're going to keep it that way.”