Mitt Romney says he will not apologize for being a rich guy who lives large and can buy whatever he wants by writing checks from his offshore bank account in the Caymans. The former governor of Massachusetts believes that what he and his father before him accomplished — that is, raking in the big bucks — is to be celebrated. Perhaps Romney’s campaign slogan should be: “I’m rich. Deal with it.”

As a rich guy myself, I completely understand Romney’s mindset. Somehow I have managed to become a 1 percenter, and while I don’t care very much about material wealth, I am proud that I made my money honestly through hard work. When I graduated from Boston University in 1975, I was broke. I had to borrow money to travel to Scranton, Pa., for my first job in television. Over the years, I sacrificed much to become a proficient TV news guy, and I also took some big risks. That has paid off.