Romney on '47 percent': I was 'completely wrong'

FISHERSVILLE, Va. (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has described his disparaging remarks about the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay federal income taxes as "not elegantly stated." Now he's calling them "just completely wrong."

Romney had contended that nearly half of Americans consider themselves "victims" and are dependent on government.

In an interview Thursday night with Fox News, Romney was asked what he would have said had the "47 percent" comments come up during his debate the night before with President Barack Obama.

Romney responded that sometimes in campaigning something doesn't come out right and that, quote, "In this case, I said something that's just completely wrong."

The "47 percent" comments came to light in mid-September after the release of a secretly recorded video from a May fundraiser.