

At a press conference tonight, Mitt Romney defended the controversial remarks he made in hidden camera footage leaked by Mother Jones early today. Romney did, however, admit that his words were "not elegantly stated."

Romney said that when he was talking about "victims" and the 47 percent of the country he's not focused on, he was actually talking about the "process of campaigns."

Typically I don't talk about process in speeches because I think candidates are wiser to talk about policy and their vision than to talk about how they're going to win a election. At a fundraiser you have people say. "Governor how are you going to win this?" And so I respond, "Well, the president has his group I have my group. I want to keep my team strong and motivated and I want to get those people in the middle." That's something which fundraising people who are parting with their monies are very interested in knowing can you win or not and that's what this was addressing.

And while he copped to "speaking off the cuff," Romney defended his message.

Of course individuals are going to take responsibility for their lives. My campaign is about helping people take more responsibility and becoming employed again, particularly those who don't have work. This whole campaign is based on getting people jobs again, putting people back to work. This is ultimately a question about direction for the country. Do you believe in a government-centered society that provides more and more benefits or do you believe instead in a free enterprise society where people are able to pursue their dreams?

Romney only took three questions at the press conference.