Mitt Romney accidentally offered a glimpse of what he might do as president when a group of reporters standing outside a Florida fundraiser Sunday overheard the presidential hopeful tell a group of wealthy donors that he wants to get rid of some tax deductions for rich people and take an ax to some government departments.

Romney’s campaign moved into damage-control mode shortly afterward, claiming he was making only suggestions and not unveiling new policies.

President Obama’s campaign quickly jumped on Romney for disclosing plans to wealthy donors, rather than the public.

“Apparently, Governor Romney believes only high-dollar donors have a right to know what programs he will cut,” wrote Ben LaBolt, one of Obama’s campaign spokesmen, in an email to journalists. –ARK

The Caucus at The New York Times:

During the event, Mr. Romney also told the donors that he might eliminate the Department of Housing and Urban Development and reduce the size of the Education Department.

Mr. Romney told the donors that the housing agency “might not be around later” and said the Education Department would be “a heck of a lot smaller” even if it wasn’t eliminated altogether, The Journal reported.

… The overheard comments offer a first glimpse of the kind of specific policies that Mr. Romney might pursue as president. Publicly, Mr. Romney has hinted that he would limit deductions for wealthy homeowners, but has not said how he might do that. And in his remarks Sunday, he also hinted that he might curtail deductions for state and property taxes for the wealthy.

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