re: #30 Max D. Reinhardt
This is one of Mitt Romney’s poll tested lines. He said the same thing back in a November debate.
It’s an oldie and it works for him. It has nothing to do with his loss in South Carolina.
He’s resurrected this “oldie” the day after getting his ass whipped by a race-baiter, whose general theme has been the “foodstamp president” and saw no reason to apologize for suggesting that blacks should demand paychecks and not food stamps.
It’s not an overt dog-whistle, it’s the sly, back-of-the-hand “That’s not how I meant it” dog-whistle.