That is the sentence Mitt Romney's rivals trying to make stick. The word 'fire' is creating a firestorm.
The comment Monday morning came in a speech about holding insurance companies accountable, and by Monday night was a centerpiece of other candidates' speeches.
"I think the folks in Gaffney would find his comments incredible," candidate Rick Perry said.
Jon Huntsman, looking to add to recent gains he's made, said this, "Governor Romney enjoys firing people. I enjoy creating jobs."
In a statement, one of Huntsman's aides took things a step further, declaring the comment a reminder that "Mitt Romney is one of the weakest front runners in Presidential history." calling him "gaffe-prone, out-of-touch, flip-flopping, [and] inauthentic."
At Romney headquarters in Manchester, the candidate and his family shrugged off the criticism, making calls and taking solace in polls that show him leading by up to 24 points.
But observers say the flap underscores a concern Republicans share about the man who now leads the pack of presidential hopefuls.
In an election about the economy, is the super wealthy former governor relatable enough to beat Barack Obama?
Romney's answer: "If you think I should spend my entire campaign carefully choosing how everything I say relates to people, as opposed to saying my own experience, and telling my own experience then that would make me a very different person than I am."
"If somebody's going to crumble, they better crumble before the nomination. You don't want to end up in September with a nominee who's been untested," candidate Newt Gingrich remarked.
In another development, Action News cameras caught Occupy protesters converging on a Rick Santorum rally. In the video, protestors could be seen shoving members of Santorum's staff.
