John Cassidy:

What another fine mess Mitt Romney has gotten himself into. In telling some of his big campaign contributors, on a Wednesday conference call listened in on by at least two reporters, that he lost the election because President Obama bestowed “gifts” on blacks, Hispanics, and young voters, the Mittster has brought another large heap of opprobrium down upon his finely chiseled numbskull, including some finely crafted words of criticism from my colleague Alex Koppelman. As usual with Romney, it’s hard to tell whether his biggest problem is his thorny relationship to the English language, his rich-guy empathy deficit, or his stunning disregard for, or obliviousness to, how his words will be received. Whatever the problem is, I thought, as a parting gift to someone who rarely failed to deliver for the campaign press, I’d do a quick translation. Here, then, is what, I’m sure, Romney meant to say

 Photograph by David Burnett/Contact Press.