World Affairs Council Philadelphia/flickr
In the new Washington Post/ABC News poll, likely voters prefer President Obama over Mitt Romney on counter-terrorism by double digits, 51% to 40%. The same poll asked about international affairs in general, and the president's lead was even larger, 51% to 38%. The new CNN poll also showed a 12-point lead for Obama on foreign policy.
With this mind, BuzzFeed reports that the president and his re-election team are confident they have "a clear advantage" on these issues, which they intend to emphasize in the race's final two months.
The Romney campaign says it's unconcerned.
"It doesn't surprise me that they're raising foreign policy because it's another distraction from the Administration's terrible economic record," [Romney foreign policy advisor Robert O'Brien] told BuzzFeed. "They're going from one shiny object to the next." [...]
O'Brien conceded that the Bin Laden killing was great -- "yes he gave the order and the Navy SEALs carried it out" -- but said there was "not really another success story to point to." And, he cautioned not to underestimate Romney's foreign policy credentials.
"The Governor is an extraordinarily well-traveled businessman, he lived overseas as a young man, he speaks French, he understands the world and he's written extensively about foreign policy and national security," he continued. "The idea that he's this naive guy at 65 years old, given his experience heading the Olympic Winter Games and everything else, I just don't think that's going to play."
Let's flesh this out a bit, because it's a rather startling perspective. Indeed, each of these comments is worse than the last.
First, Romney occasionally forgets the nation is at war. For his foreign policy advisor, on 9/11, to call foreign policy a "distraction" is an unusually bad idea.
Second, for Team Romney to accuse others of "going from one shiny object to the next" is hilarious.
Third, it's true that Obama doesn't have other foreign policy successes outside the bin Laden mission, just so long as you overlook ending the war in Iraq, the ratification of the New START treaty, assembling an international coalition to bring down the Gadhafi regime in Libya, decimating al Qaeda's network and senior leadership, and imposing a very aggressive new embargo on Iran.
And finally, there's the Romney's campaign pitch: the Republican candidate has credibility on foreign affairs because he speaks French; spent time as a missionary; he's well-traveled; he's 65; and he helped oversee an athletic competition.
Oh my.
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Obama's campaign is not about convincing Republicans that he is the better man, but the campaign is for the independent vote which is he is winning decisively over Romney. That is what Obama needs to carry him in swing states despite all the Republican efforts to suppress the vote. A significant number of those independent voters include the suburban women who are angry about the Republican war on women's health issues. Romney/Ryan are losing many independent voters because they have demonstrated their incompetence and that is in addition to all the lies. I would venture that Romney's campaign staff is starting to panic despite their public statements. Deep down the Romney staff knows Obama is going to wallop Romney in the debates. And then it will be all downhill for Romney.
Prince Willard speaks French; isn't that bad still (freedom fries)?
The ass-hattery here is unequalled! They had to come up with somebody dumber than Bush I'm afraid..
Romney couldn't even visit America's closest allies without getting himself brandished a total embarrassment by the press here in truly spectacular fashion.
The fact that anyone would trust him as the "Leader of the Free World" is truly terrifying.
Willard's most recent & relevant foreign policy experience -- putting his money in Swiss and Cayman Island banks.
Look. He's right... Romney speaks FRENCH. He UNDERSTANDS THE WORLD.
He's written EXTENSIVELY(?) about FOREIGN POLICY and NATIONAL SECURITY."
Discussion over. Romney wins.
(le gag...)
1776-1825 Independence, the founding of the nation and maintaining that nation, while gaining support for independence and the new nation's existance. Monroe Doctrine.
1846-1849 Annexation of the Republic of Texas, Mexican War and ensuing annexation of California and the Southwest.
1860-1865 US War of Southern Treason; ensuring neither Great Britain nor France sided with Davis & Co.
1900-to present Spanish-American War, annexation of the Philipines, Puerto Rico, Hawaii. Open-Door Policy in China. TR negotiates end to Russo-Japanese War. WWI. Refusal to join League of Nations (how'd that turn out, by the way?). WWII. End of European imperialism, Cold War. Korea. Viet Nam. Iran. Afghanistan. Middle East (several times). End of Soviet empire. 9/11. Iraq I and II. Afghanistan, again. Possible implosion of Eurozone. China; Friend or Foe? (discuss).
So basically, out of 236 years as a nation, how we conducted our foreign affairs has been a vital concern for 138 of those years, but according to the Romney campaign foreign policy is a "distraction"?
Are the polls that bad? Already?
You forgot one important foreign policy thingy about romney, Steve. He probably will do bibi/adelson's bidding.
"They're going from one shiny object to the next."
Isn't it Mitt Romney that's doing that? I could of sworn just the other day he was very concerned about Obama's alleged (and of course untrue) intention to remove "in god we trust" from those shiny objects known as coins.
And as for the whole "god in the platform" debate, I will take a platform that reflects and promotes policies more closely in line with the teachings of Jesus anyday over a platform that feels it's done its religious duty merely by winning the god word-count contest.
Now, now, Romney visits his money too ;)
And don't forget, Ryan voted to send troops to war....not to pay for the war, can't have that, not to help the vets, only military spending, aka money to contractors, is worth preserving...
Funny how the GOP used to claim foreign policy as their exclusive property. Now it's a "shiny object"?
I suppose the next thing to happen will be John McCain stepping in front a camera and saying, "You know what? @!$%# the troops."
Rachel -- assuming that an unreconstituted Bush era foreign policy including Preemptive War "just won't fly" simply because 2/3 of Americans oppose The American Century, neocon cabal's views is tragically wrong. Those guys didn't give a fig for American public opinion or political opposition from across the aisle when they were in power (see David Addington, "We're going to push and push and push until some larger force makes us stop.") And, they're not going to care about public opinion in their drive to war should Mitt Romney sweep them back into office.
stop worrying. foreign policy isn't the only bullet in his quiver.
People have also forgotten about the killing of the Somali Pirates by the Navy SEALS.