Romney: '47 percent' remarks 'wrong' Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney said his comments about 47 percent of Americans not paying taxes were "completely wrong." Mitt Romney campaigning in Fisherville, Va., Oct. 4, 2012. Updated Oct. 5, 2012 at 9:11 AM Published: Oct. 5, 2012 at 8:09 AM WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney said his comments about 47 percent of Americans not paying taxes were "completely wrong." "Well, clearly in a campaign with hundreds if not thousands of speeches and question-and-answer sessions, now and then, you are going to say something that doesn't come out right," Romney said Thursday on Fox News. In this case, I said something that was just completely wrong. Following the first presidential debate Wednesday, many critics questioned why President Obama didn't bring up Romney's "47 percent" comments that were secretly recorded during fundraiser in May. Soon after the remarks became public, Romney said his comments were "inelegantly" stated. White House adviser David Plouffe said Thursday the "47 percent" comments were "baked into the cake" of the American voter, The Hill reported. He said bringing up the comments hadn't been ruled out completely before the debate, which most observers say Romney won. "Sure, there might have been an exchange where that came up," Plouffe said.