After being widely criticized this morning for his ugly and dishonest criticism of the Obama administration overnight, Mitt Romney appeared before the cameras this morning, delivering a statement and fielding some questions from reporters.
At a certain level, this should have been relatively easy. All Romney had to was come out, denounce the violence, honor the fallen, and extend his condolences to the families of the victims. In other words, Romney could have used this opportunity to undo some of the damage from his self-inflicted wound, and appear presidential.
Alas, Romney once again chose a different path.
Mark Halperin, a barometer of the political establishment's attitudes, called this the "most craven" and "ill-advised move" of the 2012 campaign.
It's just remarkable to see Romney unravel like this. Within hours of learning that a respected U.S. ambassador had been killed by a violent mob overseas, the Republican's first instinct was to launch a partisan campaign attack against the president. It came after a dishonest smear of the president last night -- on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, when Romney said he'd refrain from such attacks.
The nine-minute clip is well worth your time. Just two minutes in, Romney condemned messages from officials under attack in the U.S. embassy in Cairo, falsely accusing them "apologizing for our values."
Romney noted that the White House distanced itself from the same messages, which only made this morning's statement that much more misguided -- Romney was, simultaneously, saying the White House is wrong, the White House is right, and the White House is sending "mixed signals."
Romney must realize he was wrong overnight, but apparently feels as if backing down isn't a credible option -- so he's digging deeper, politicizing a tragedy, repeating falsehoods, and desperately trying to smear the president during an unfolding crisis.
It's a familiar pattern: Romney says something classless and untrue; he gets called out for his mendacity; then he repeats the falsehood under the cynical assumption that voters are easily fooled and there will be no consequences. This time, however, the GOP candidate is trying the strategy while trying to exploit deadly violence against Americans abroad.
Questions about whether Romney is fit for the nation's highest office will only get louder in light of this debacle.
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I mean, whaty more proof do total idiots need to see this man is a total idiot?
There's a saying: "there was once a Republican so stupid, other Republicans noticed".
Let's hope it bears out!
Romney's remarks are just plain unpatriotic.
Treasonous.
The worst part is, he doesn't realize it, or he's too arrogant to admit it. This is going to be the leader of the free world???????
On the heels of the country's moral outrage at these murders, comes this political outrage. This Republican campaign and Mr. Romney in particular apparently have no shame. Whether it's blaming the White House for, in effect, encouraging these murders, or continually pushing a bald-faced lie about the President "gutting" welfare, or Paul Ryan criticizing the President for not taking up a budget proposal that he himself voted against...I'm hoping that even the uninformed voter is taking note.
Romney/Addelson/Netenyahu productions encouraged these murders.
Romney's remarks are just plain unpatriotic.
Since recent rejection by most U.S. voters Romney seems to be trying hard to destroy the United States. Isn't that treason?
Isn't this what Mitt and those TeaHaddists, Gingrich and Santorum, said about the President?
Exactly how far can a presidential candidate go in disrupting the U.S. government overseas?
Without being held accountable for treason?
will Mitt "Thurston Howell III/Clark Griswold" Romney go back to his mansions already...
So is Mr. Romney saying the obscene film I saw on YouTube for which the embassy apologized reflects "American values?" Not mine. So what is "disgraceful" here?
Who is Romney again? A Contender only right? He holds no existing office correct? Why is he giving a speech behind American flags as if he is what ---god forbid--President! Honey, Barack Hussein Obama is President and he only needs to speak to this! An interview maybe with his views, but he should not be addressing this like he is...oh yeah, right, especially because when he does open his mouth crows fly out!
I am both terrified and incredibly ashamed that this man is being considered (by some) to be the next president of the United States.
Remember, the GOP with the Bush family have connections with Terrorists via the CIA. Were they not, with the help of H. W. Bush going behind the Carter administration's back? Was it just by happenchance that the hostiges were released on Reagan's inaugurational day? Come on now. So, in the spy business, there are no coincidences, I can smell the stink of the usually suspects. They would pimp their daughters for one vote, what's another black-flag opt more or less. Corporate bastards are not only spending money on super-ads alone, it can easily buy a small bit of international instability or some tick-turd rev, like T. Jones.
Okay. First I read the article, then I read the comments, and then I watched the video. Now, all I can say is:
Who the &%§*! does he think he is? And what the &%§*! is he talking about?
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Gov. Romney should never have held a news conference before two American flags at a time of crisis. The U.S. has only one president at a time, and only the president should speak for the U.S. on issues unfolding in real time. Romney spoke of what "America" should do, and this crosses the line.
In Sept. 2008, John McCain made an ill-timed and ill-conceived statement about the strength of the US economy, that proved a turning point in the presidential election that year. Today's appearance by Romney should alter the course of this election, because he showed a total lack of judgment and showed that his personal ambition is his only cause. He is not ready for the world stage. Watching his performance, with all his tics and gestures, showed a man of no core, speaking the lines he was given.
So he managed, at once, to intrude improperly into foreign relations at a time of crisis and to expose his glaring weaiknesses, of which there are many.
This man proves, each time he speaks, that he is unfit to be the U.S. President.
I, usually stick to the subject, but, this idiot has angered me. I will never, ever vote for or accept him as someone who has any values whatsoever. He is completely out of his realm. In fact, he is in a whole different galaxy. Obama 2012. If this is the best the Republicans have to run, then, they need to find a different avenue of expression instead of politics. How can anyone vote for his buffoon? I can't find any reason why anyone would vote for these two. Not even confusion, lack of factual knowledge or prejudice should be given as a reason for voting for these two jerks. Lie, lie, and twist the truth and no matter what, stick to the lie and try to remember which lie you told which person. If you can't remember, just lie some more. Go home Mitt and Paul. Go home.
Every resonable person now must know that Mitt is losing his bid for Pres. But we also know that a portion of people that believe in him. I believe that if Mitt admitted that what he said about the current Libya situation was not right his right wing follower would say OK not problem. I would not be suprised if the far right has a hand in fueling the this conflict. Hope my thoughts are wrong.
Mitt is desperate to appear 'presidential' when he does not hold any sort of elected office. Yesterday and today were ideal times for him to keep his dopey ideas to himself. Thinking individuals, whether Republican, Independent, or Democrat, will see this attention-grabbing nuttiness for what it is. Not a good day for the Romney campaign. Even Peggy Noonan thinks Mitt's words were ill-advised or worse.
Him and the Extreme Right Wingers want Armageddon to happen so badly they will create it themselves if God doesn't do it for them...Obama didn't do it like they had told everyone he would do it in the 2008 campaign, by golly geez the world is suppose to end in 2012 and by golly We Tea Partiers will make it end!...Rmoney is just needed as their leader into the next life on planet Kalob.
Romney is an Image Guy. He cares nothing about the substance of his statements, nor the consequences of his actions. He is trying to look Presidential, standing up before his make believe official podium. He has no business saying what we ought to do as a country. He holds no political office, and if he had just stopped at the conclusion of his statements about condolences, etc. he would have been fine. But, he has put his silver foot in his mouth again. He doesn't care, as long as he appears tough in the eyes of the Teabaggers, he feels he has done his job. This is one more example that he has no plan as far as foreign policy any more than he has a plan to save the economy. He's just "against Obama". He mouths a stream of flag-waving platitudes that sound good, but he has no idea what he would do in the event of a tragedy like this. He's a man without a plan, an expensive empty suit.
Mitt's Human-o-tronic matrix requires re-calibration.
Did anyone notice the gleam in Romney's eyes and that disgusting , sly grin that was almost imperceptible, when he was talking about Obama's leadership. This was not the time to play politics
Look up "White Horse Prophecy." Romney thinks he's ordained by God to be the president and turn the United States into a Mormon theocracy.
Oh, dear, we can all remember the last time we had a President who couldn't admit he misspoke. We're still suffering from that one...
It just goes to show how out of touch Mitt is with the world. He spent his life being sneaky and a liar to make his millions and knows no other way to act. He will continue to ly to the americian people and helping others like him. If he does make it, I believe one of first acts should be to make it every expensive for those like him who hide millions in other countries and blind trust to not pay his fair share. He wants all the benifits of making millions, but not the responisbility to pay his share for those same millions.
Okay a couple of things...
A. Why dis Romney so out of breath in his speech? He sounds like he is either overweight, has a bad heart and/or diminished muscles in his chest, or he just finished running a marathon, OR he's entirely nervous. I have a hard time believing it's the last one because this is not the first time Romney has spoken in front of a crowd. Is he alright? Does he have some health condition that causes him to respond this way? It just struck me as odd. He sounds like he's struggling to speak because he cannot read. Does he have asthma? Anyone know?
B. He sounds flustered- and I'm not referring to his breathing problems, although that may very well be contributing to the way it comes across- when he initially starts speaking. Once he begins reading from his notecards then he seems to calm down and sound relaxed and comfortable giving a discussion. That is until he has to take answers with reporters and then he begins to throw out more circular reasoning, nothing statements, and dodging of questions. Do you think he was potentially scared to be on that podium???
C. Mitt Romney's foreign policy sounds like he took it from a book. I am so uncomfortable with this. I'm especially uncomfortable because he took a generic statement then attempted to specify the generic statement....by giving even more generic statements.
D. What would he have preferred the White House to have done in response to this situation? What would he have done in this situation? He was asked both of these questions and he did not respond to them. I still want to know
I also wanted to add how annoyed I am that he says "...we join together in prayer that the spirit of the almighty might comfort the families of those so brutally slain..."
Whose almighty are we referring to? Yours? Theirs? What if they are atheists? Why no prayer that if they are atheists they will be comforted by a means that isn't religious? Why are praying for other people without their permission in the first place?
I recognize that this is a bi-partisan thing: every time a tragedy happens people are so eager to rush out we send our prayers! But the sheer patronization of it just pisses me off. You do not know these people and therefore do not know what it is that they want and need from you. You assume that it's your prayers that they want? F you. Why would you assume that they want you to impose your religion on them? Can't find a nice way of saying my thoughts go to you??? Or I'm here if you need me? Or I'll baby sit the kids this weekend if you need me to??? No it has to be I send my god to give you comfort whether you like it or not. It drives me nuts when Republicans do it and even more nuts when Democrats do it.