As it turns out, Mitt Romney's trip abroad can get worse.
Romney is traveling with a large contingent of American journalists as part of his trip abroad, but so far he's largely ignored them -- he's fielded exactly three questions from reporters during his week-long trip.
Given the relative silence, the media has no choice but to ask questions of Romney whenever he's within earshot. For example, today Romney was walking away from Pilsudski Square in Warsaw, Poland, and as he approached his car, journalists asked questions that the candidate chose to ignore. But the fact that questions were even being asked was apparently enough to enrage Romney's traveling press secretary.
After several questions involving Romney's missteps on the trip, including comments he made in Israel, Romney spokesman Rick Gorka shot back.
"Show some respect," he said after being challenged for not taking questions, according to pool reports.
"We haven't had another chance to ask a question," a New York Times reporter said.
"Kiss my ass," Gorka said back. "This is a Holy site for the Polish people. Show some respect."
Soon after, the Romney aide told Politico's Jonathan Martin to "shove it."
It's hard not to marvel at the combination of Gorka's sentences. If it's a Holy site and people should show some respect, why did he tell reporters, "Kiss my ass"?
Now, the point isn't that Team Romney is wrong to snap at media professionals; reporters are adults and they can take it. The larger point is that the Romney campaign, with increasing frequency, is losing its composure.
We saw some of this two weeks ago, when John Sununu got hysterical, and we're seeing it again this morning, with Gorka losing his cool with reporters who've spent much of the last several days with no access to the candidate, covering clumsy photo ops.
Gorka later apologized to the journalists, and that was the right thing to do, but the larger takeaway is that Team Romney realizes things haven't gone well lately, and their frustrations are starting to show.
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Wow, just wow. But, I guess if "Romneyshambles" were the candidate I had to prop up, I'd be a bit frayed around the edges, too.
There's one hilarious Hillary Twittermeme circulating on Facebook today: Hil in her sunglasses with her Blackberry; the caption says, "Mitt...I've cancelled your passports. Get your asses home before you start WWIII."
But But If you ask Willard a question , it just gives him another chance to put his foot in his mouth.
Especially when hounded by "you people" asking all those gotcha questions.
He looks presidential and you want him to actually answer questions too ?
The nerve.
Our Policy : A closed mouth attracts no feet .
Let's hope that equates to "A closed mouth attracts no votes." Then again, an open Romney mouth turns away votes, so the closed mouth strategy is the better choice for the campaign.
I have to wonder when Romney will visit Sweden and inevitably use "Bork, Bork, Bork!" in total seriousness during a conversation with a high-ranking official. Or am I giving Mittens too much credit with pop culture awareness?
We have never seen a presidential campaign quite like that of Mitt Romney in 2012. Mitt seems to think it is perfectly acceptable -- even honorable -- to try and run the most secretive and detached campaign in American political history. No one knows what this guy is really about. The disrespect he is showing the same Americans he simultaneously demands vote him into the White House is breathtaking. No tax returns. No info on his time at Bain. Not coming clean on his multiple offshore tax evasion havens. And absolutely no inclination to speak to our free press. Is this the beginning of a dictatorship? The man is dangerous. - Principled Progressive
What is dangerous is the sadly misinformed public so stupid that almost 50 % of them see him as a reasonable candidate and will be swayed by the s*itstorm of propaganda about to be unleashed .
America : Too stupid for democracy
Actually Mittens represents the fascist take over of "our democracy". On the other hand, George W., was no prize either, his business experience consisted of never running a profitable corporation - even the baseball team did better once he sold it - and the sheeple voted that miserable low-life back into office in 2004 - so Mittens unfortunately does stand a chance. Mittens is dangerous because just like W., he has no conscious, as for his "claim of faith and how it leads and guides him" - beware of false prophets - their treachery is slowly destroying US all.
Though it would seem to confound the masses as to how the same country that went to the moon,developed the computer,engineered nuclear submarines and nuclear power plants, developed the atomic bomb etc. could suddenly turn into raving lunatics I have a (ahem) theory.
Whipped into hysteria by Murdoch owned media and Rush like DJs out to make money we the people have responded in character. Those who due to their lack of education and decorum find it pleasing to have themselves herded like sheep unaware of the fact the shepherd is in fact the butcher go nuts. Those who are more subdued and less prone to panic thanks to a certain amount of education and a respect for the truth are too easily convinced that these fanatics are few and will not actually gain control-this condition is not unlike NAZI Germany where some helped the Jews hide or escape while others got caught up in the madness. The Nazi's went a lot further that anyone with a brain would have thought possible.
Romney is demonstrating his ability to delegate by having his staff carry on the work of being asses that he started.
Why wouldn't Romney's press flacks be frustrated? This is the same trip organized by Dan Senor and the Bolton neo-con gang. What could possibly go wrong when you ask those clowns to organize a foreign trip, except everything. If Romney were a man and capable of learning it would dawn on him that he was the victim of a lot of shoddy staff work on this trip. Time after time they put him in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong words in his mouth. If they weren't misdirecting the candidate, Senor and team were making fools of themselves. His entire foreign policy "team" should be sent packing back to the Republican welfare centers (think tanks) from whence they came. Better yet they should be cut loose from Republican welfare altogether and told to find real jobs.
It must be frustrating no end that he can't blame all of this on his incompetent staff. Not only would that boomerang (and just who is responsible for the staff, hmmm?) but every one of them is there as payback to an essential support faction.
I don't give Romney a pass. As any executive will tell you, Romney is responsible for his staff's work, but I thought he was the guy who famously announced that he likes firing people who don't give him good service. He certainly isn't getting good service. Where are the firings?
The firings won't be coming anytime soon (although if they were, it would have to be nearly everyone from the speech writers to the press secretary). Instead, Mitt will either 1) blame it on the media, a la Sarah Palin, or 2) bury his head in the sand and not say anything at all about it to anyone.
The only thing keeping Mittens in this race is the Super PAC money and blitzkreig of attack ads.
Also keeping RobMe in the race is the number of Americans who see such behavior (by the staffers) as "strength" and probably get, ummm, "excited" by it.
No matter how cowed the US Press might have become, I do wonder how long they can resist the scent of blood in the water.
Sigh. The "Little People" once again not knowing "Their Place".
So many forelocks untugged; it's enough to make an aristocrat weep.
LOL, Gorka must think telling a reporter to kiss his ass is a sign of respect. This campaign is losing it from top to bottom.
Never underestimate the number of those on the right who see such thuggish behavior as "strength".
Five bucks to the reporter willing to ask Mitt whether he's for or against Pussy Riot.
Make it $10 and most of us starving journalists would proabably take you up on it!!
so, when is the media gonna stop shilling for Willard?
They're not ...we need a horse race dammit to sell pharmaceuticals and Cheerios .
So we're going to have a horse race ...fair and balanced.
Dang! Mitt was all prepared to answer what newspapers and magazines he reads, you know, the usual softball questions from the {cough} 4th Estate. What's up with the press starting to ask REAL questions?
Bah! You people know all you need to know about your better, W. Mittens Romney. You were brought on this trip so that you might transcribe (after pre-approval) his words to the lowly masses whose role is to elect him. How dare you try to get his attention and ask him your impertinent questions. Don't make him fire you.
When I'm in church I like to say @!$%# so I understand where he's coming from. If Romney wants to be taken seriously though he is going to need to clean house. Shake that etch-a-sketch. Remember who it was who said "I like to fire people" and do it. A campaign this badly run needs not just a VP although that would help but a new crew at the helm. Romney's team does not appear to even be on his side. I don't think they even know what side they are on but if the guy running for President cannot control his representatives, aids, advisors & press idiots it's time to give up the ghost & quit yourself or fire everyone and start fresh. Doing it when you make the VP choice is the last chance. After that it's every GOPer for themselves and Romney wont be the candidate anymore he'll just be the talking Ken doll which let's face it he already is a bit like Politics Horse Barbie's smug brother Kip already.
Empty suit. Unable to talk off script, let alone think. Open mouth, insert foot.
We can laugh all we want, the race is still too tight for my liking. The only bright side to a Romney Presidency is the boon it'll undoubtedly provide the funny page-a-day calendar industry. But if everyone were paying as close attention to the race as we seem to be paying, this would be a 10-point blowout in Obama's favor.
Sadly, many xenophobic, right wing fundies will think to themselves, "Good for you, Mitt, give them foreigners and the liberal media wut fer" and vote for him. And they do vote...in droves.
Nah, what you're seeing is part of a larger Republican behavior pattern: no matter how obnoxious Republicans are, whether on policy, statements against groups it doesn't like, or individual acts of cretinous behavior, it doesn't matter. The Useful Mitt-iots will defend the behavior because they're on Team Republican, and the press, media, and the little people will just to have to take it because they don't call the shots.
And Americans are so dumb and irresponsibly inattentive, they're right. Just read the comments sections at the WP if you need evidence.
The only member of Team Romney not cursed with hoof-in-mouth disease seems to be Rafalca!
I wouldn't blame the team that much .... look what they have to work with ... a soul-less, compassionless, lying SOB.
Rmoney can't always buy you the press, unfortunately.. I hope the next GOP administration takes care of that by the way, information is poison, UNLESS you're on the current bullshet meme that both sides are at fault and we should just be Amercians!
Honestly, when I see that horse-crap in the press and from acquaintances on MyWasteOfSpaceBook I want to join the second amendment solutions team..
Is this campaign really about getting into office or just trying to show just how gullible the American citizens are to believe any thing before them....Mitt Palin?
Romney is losing his cool because he knows that he hasn't won the nomination yet much less has the ability to defeat Obama if he does .. There is a lot going on behind the scenes for the upcoming RNC Convention in Tampa where Ron Paul loyalist are suspected of crashing his party and denying him the nomination or at least contesting his nomination until the very bitter end. Also with 13,000 veterans for Ron Paul showing up to march on the Convention plus the Ron Paul Rally at the Sun Dome with 11,000 people in attendance and plus the Ron Paul Fest that will also occur days before and during the convention that is expecting over 100,000 people to attend .. Romney is scared and annoyed at the fact that there will be more people in Tampa supporting and cheering for Ron Paul than him... Also he shows up in Poland yesterday and is greeted by huge Ron Paul banners saying that Polands Choice = Ron Paul and Greta Van Sustran (however you spell it) interviewing people in the crowd in Poland and they all say they hate Romney and Obama and that Ron Paul is the choice of Poland..... Yep Romney is sweating it because he knows that truly nobody wants him , not even the base of his own party ...... The world the Nation wants Ron Paul
"I will not apologize for America."
Like the rest of the world doesn't already know that, Mitt, and holds such a high opinion of us here in the good ol' United States. But maybe not as high of an opinion as we do ourselves, but it's up there.
Lets see what happens when we give Romney tangled Christmas lights or if he looses his luggage on a flight. THOSE issues, dear friends, will most assuredly show character in anyone. Of course....a bungled overseas campaign trip might do just as well...........
Robmes have already told us WHO they think they are. You People , how dare you question us ! Just listen folks, Robme is screaming HOW dare you question me!
They say that a true test of character would be how one handles tangled christmas lights or lost luggage .... I guess we can add "botched up overseas campaign trip" to this list...........!!