Washington ( CNN ) -- First Mitt Romney makes two references to 47 percent . Then he suggests President Barack Obama `` starts off with 48 , 49 . '' `` These are people who pay no income tax , '' Romney said at a May fund-raising event that was secretly recorded and is now at the center of a campaign controversy . Because of that remark , most of the commentary has understandably assumed he was referring at all times to the roughly half of Americans who do n't pay income taxes . CNNMoney.com : Romney 's '47 % ' - Washington 's tax break obsession to blame . I think not . The first reference -- 47 percent -- is the ballpark number smart pollsters in both parties consistently use to describe the president 's most loyal base . The math behind that ? Begin with the president 's steady support among African-Americans , Latinos and other non-white voters . Then add in his backing among white , college-educated women . So when Romney told the fund-raiser crowd there are `` 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what '' he was on solid ground and reflecting the consensus of his polling and political team . But how he got from that data point to describing Obama 's coalition as `` victims who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them '' is a mystery . Not to mention a sweeping insult to many working-class voters and other taxpayers who support the president . Romney 's remarks huge mistake or plain truth ? In the recording , obtained by the left-leaning Mother Jones , Governor Romney twice uses the `` 47 percent '' figure pollsters , including his own , suggest is the president 's base . Moments later he uses the numbers `` 48 , 49 , '' presumably a reference to the nearly half of Americans who , in 2009 , were not represented on a taxable return , according to data from the conservative Heritage Foundation . In any event , much of what he says in describing these voters is eye-popping . 'Anatomy of a leak ' of the Mitt Romney video . `` There are 47 percent who are with him , who are dependent on government , who believe that they are the victims , who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them , who believe that they are entitled to health care , to food , to housing , you name it , that that 's an entitlement and they will vote for this president no matter what . '' Many GOP strategists in Washington see this as another self-inflicted political wound , and the Obama campaign and its Democratic allies are gleeful for the opportunity to suggest it is proof that Romney is disdainful of working-class Americans and insensitive to those , who because of economic hardship or other reasons , need government help . Secretly taped comments put Romney back on defense . Now , to be clear , some grassroots conservatives are not unhappy , and are hoping Romney defends his remarks and pushes a debate on government assistance and dependency . While a healthy debate about government programs and priorities is always useful , such sweeping generalizations as those used by Romney are often a path into political quicksand . In 2008 , Obama won 95 % of the African-American vote , two-thirds of Latinos , 64 % of other minority voters , and 52 % of white women who are college graduates . Take another look at those numbers . Now think all of those voters fit this ? : `` These are people who pay no income tax . '' Or this ? : `` I 'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives . '' It was recorded in May , but released seven weeks before Election Day , at a time when there is mounting evidence that the contest , while still highly competitive , is trending in the president 's direction . They say timing is everything in politics . The timing for Romney here is horrible . He needs to be making his case about tomorrow 's economy , not trying to explain away things he said months ago . Battleground polls : Is Romney 's path to the White House now more difficult ?
King : Romney 's `` 47 % '' figure may not be statistic about who pays federal income taxes . Democrats are gleeful over Romney 's comments ; GOP strategists in Washington see remarks as self-inflicted wound . Comment: