Politics

Romney "47 percent" dubbed best quote of 2012

December 10, 2012 / 7:38 AM EST / AP

Last Updated 7:38 a.m. ET

NEW HAVEN, Conn. Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's comments about 47 percent of the population being dependent on government and about "binders full of women" have been selected as this year's best quotes.

Fred Shapiro, associate librarian at Yale Law School, has released his seventh annual list of the year's most notable quotations.

Shapiro says debate remarks and gaffes appeared to play an important role in the November election.

Romney, who lost to President Obama, made the 47 percent comment at a private fundraiser that was secretly recorded and released later.

During one of the presidential debates, Romney spoke about reviewing "binders full of women" as governor when he sought to diversify his Massachusetts administration.

Mr. Obama made the list, too -- for his "you didn't build that" quote about how people who built businesses had help from others.

"It was probably the leading line that Obama wished he hadn't made during this year," Shapiro said.

President Obama's "horses and bayonets" debate rebuke of Romney in an exchange over the size of the Navy also made the list.

The original "Yale Book of Quotations" was published in 2006, and Shapiro has updated it with an annual list of the top 10 quotes. Shapiro picks quotes that are famous, important or revealing of the spirit of the times, not necessarily ones that are the most eloquent or admirable.

Here's the list:

1. "There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what ... who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims. ... These are people who pay no income tax. ... and so my job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

Mitt Romney, remarks at private fundraiser, Boca Raton, Florida, May 17

2. "We took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our cabinet (in Massachusetts). I went to a number of women's groups and said, "Can you help us find folks?" and they brought us whole binders full of women."

Mitt Romney, second presidential debate, Hempstead, New York, Oct. 16

3. "If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business - you didn't build that."

President Barack Obama, remarks at campaign appearance, Roanoke, Virginia, July 13

4. "Please proceed, Governor."

Mr. Obama, second presidential debate, Hempstead, New York, Oct. 16 (lead-in to Romney's denial that the president had called Libya attack an act of terrorism)

5. "You mentioned the Navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well, Governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military has changed. We have these things called aircraft carriers where planes land on them. We have these ships that go underwater, nuclear submarines."

Mr. Obama, third presidential debate, Boca Raton, Florida, Oct. 22

6. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

Missouri Republican senatorial candidate Todd Akin, KTVI-TV interview, Aug. 19

7. "You hit a reset button for the fall campaign; everything changes. It's almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and we start all over again."

Romney senior campaign adviser Eric Fehrnstrom, CNN interview, March 21

8. "I'm an honorary consul general, so I have inviolability."

Socialite Jill Kelley, telephone call to an emergency dispatcher, Tampa, Florida, Nov. 11, about media crews that came to her home as news broke of her involvement in the scandal over the resignation of CIA director David Petraeus

9. "Oppan Gangnam style."

South Korean rapper PSY, "Gangnam Style" (song)

10. (tie) "Under current law, on January 1st, 2013, there is going to be a massive fiscal cliff of large spending cuts and tax increases."

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, testimony at House Committee on Financial Services hearing, Feb. 29

10. (tie) "I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge."

Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss, WMAZ-TV television interview about Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Nov. 21

10. (tie) "I have a job to do. ... If you think right now I give a damn about presidential politics, then you don't know me."

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Fox News interview about Hurricane Sandy, Oct. 30

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