Associated Press
Two months ago, Mitt Romney delivered an acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, which ignored the war in Afghanistan as if it didn't exist, and failed to even mention veterans. He was, as the AP noted, "the first Republican since 1952 to accept his party's nomination without mentioning war."
The candidate took some heat for the oversight, but chooses not to correct the problem.
Mitt Romney delivered what he reportedly dubbed his "closing argument" speech today in Wisconsin and while he rattled off a series of attacks on the Obama administration for various alleged failures, the former Massachusetts governor entirely ignored foreign policy. Actually not entirely. Romney did repeat his "wrongheaded" claim that he would label China a currency manipulator upon taking office, an idea that pretty much no one thinks is a good one.
I checked Lexis-Nexis this morning, going through every public speech Romney has delivered since the third presidential debate, which was two weeks ago. How many times has the Republican mentioned "Afghanistan"? Zero. "Iraq"? Zero.
He's used the word "war," but only to refer to a "war on coal." Romney has mentioned "troops," but only in reference to Boy Scouts. In fairness, Lexis-Nexis did not include the transcripts of yesterday's speeches, and it's at least possible he unveiled new rhetoric yesterday, but that doesn't change the fact that the former one-term governor publicly ignored the ongoing war in Afghanistan, at a minimum, from Oct. 22 through Nov. 2.
Does the 2012 Republican candidate realize that he's running in a time of war? Does he understand that the responsibilities of a president include foreign policy leadership?
Rachel's recent segment on this continues to ring true: "National security is not something a president can say he doesn't want to work on."
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Romney is the FIRST Candidate for President that I have ever seen that has COMPLETELY IGNORED our military troops! I hope that military voters realize that!
Steve,
Those wars and occupations are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO yesterday! Why bore the poor people with them?
Mitt's NeoCLOWNS are focusing their brains cells on Iran - BOTH of them!
While serving on his Mission in France during the VIETNAM WAR, Gov. Romney has stated that he Wished that he could be with those who where serving in VIETNAM, Meanwhile, he was on his 4th Deferment, and had every oppurtunity to do just as he had stated, But chose not to.
Mitt Romney Ignores Foreign Policy In 'Closing Argument' Speech
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/11/02/1132321/romney-foreign-policy-closing-argument/
Romney probably knows that the people usually reelect a President during wartime and sees it as a disadvantage politically to bring Afghanistan into the conversation.
I don't think that Romney has "Ignored" forign policy I think he has deliberately stayed away from discussing it much like he has done with FEMA and Mourdock.
To be honest I find that even more frightening because considering what he has said in the past I can see no evidence that he has moderated his position even in his usual dishonest politically calculating way.
In the past what he has said shows that like most on the right, the belief in the idea that Military hard power is preferable to economic soft power and that diplomacy is for the meek. Attitudes like that get people killed
So few of us actually are in the military- and in combat- that they are looked upon by Romney as the crazy uncle in the attic. An embarrassment, someone to be sedated and led out to the lawn for the group photograph, but not One of the Family.
Besides, as sarge GW says, if we look up the crazy uncle's DNA it is a match for Mitt. "What did you do in the war, daddy?"
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.... Abraham Lincoln
metoo,
Are you going to post this drivel that has been debunked already everywhere? You must have figured it out by now that posting lies over and over DOES NOT turn them into the truth!!
For everyone else, Abraham Lincoln DID NOT write this - it was William Boetcker, a conservative motivational speaker.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._H._Boetcker
" Abraham Lincoln DID NOT write this - it was William Boetcker,"
Picky, picky. picky.
It SOUNDS good, so quibble about the author!
(Before replying, check the batteries in your SnarkOmeter.)
'We're Not Going to Let Our Campaign Be Dictated by Fact-Checkers'
Didn't you get the memo
Lets see, the thrifty Repubs raised the debt ceiling 8 times in the previous administration, in fact they went from a surplus to a debt, that's not being responsible.
The rich have had huge tax cuts for over 10 years and we are not all fully employed, so that tactic is clearly not working.
It's conservatives that used fear tactics against the LGBT community to oppose DADT, yet there's been no effect on the armed forces other than thousands of men and women can now serve without fear of being kicked out.
It's been shown that if you pay working class and middle class more, they actually spend more, because they need the things the extra money can buy.
Please explain to me how the country will benefit from making abortion illegal, shutting down FEMA, removing the regs in Wall Street and shutting down the EPA?
Secondly, show me a specific plan from the Romney campaign that gives numbers and calculations of how he's going to do a better job than Obama.
Actually, please try and show me any plan or position he's actually stuck to.
Do you HONESTLY believe that drivel? Really? Those talking points are so old. So, you think abortion will be illegal (yeah right), That there will be no more FEMA (yeah right again), that Wall Street will have free reign (huh?) and the EPA will be shut down. Hell, throw PBS going out of business into the mix too! I have a bridge to nowhere to sell you. Bet you would buy it.
Yeah, lincoln is credited with lots that he didn't say. Many union halls have a pro-union saing attributed to Lincoln hanging in there hall- except he never said it either.
Republicans don't want to talk about national security because they now Mitt Romney is the ultimate chickenhawk . And after years of tough talk and overextending our military Republicans have finally lost their edge when it comes to national security. When we have leaders who understand strength comes from focus, our troops make it clear that we are the greatest military in the world. It is the sacrifices of these men and women and their families that will always do the job we send them to do and do it well. We need to make sure, we are electing leaders who truly understand this sacrifice and know how to deploy our most precious resources in effective ways.
Jst1voice, Just to add to your statement, WE also have to take care of them when they come home. WE have to give them what they need as far as Medical treatment, Job training, schooling. Cutting money from Program's that help them is nothing short of Treason in my View. The President has done alot to take care of OUR returning Vet's and he has shown alot of Respect for them. As a Vet myself, I find it very insulting that R&R seem to have little to say for them.
Sarge, thanks for the follow-up but more importantly thank you for your service. As I'm sure you know, Romney, Ryan and the Republicans have already made it clear what honor means to them by being willing to block the Veterans Jobs Bill. Not because they thought it wouldn't create jobs, but because they knew it would help veterans find work and they would rather it be harder on Veterans then do something that would actually create jobs while the President is in office.
Jst1voice, I was USMC 82-90, But more important is when it comes to the Military and issues involving them I do not like to see them getting screwed over. To put Men and Women into Harms way is a Very tough Decision, and with that Decision comes the Before, During and the After part of that Decision. And it really seem's the after is a Big problem. For the life of me,Why would Pres. Bush and his crony's put them into Iraq, and also make a Major cut in their Benefit's? WHY? Pres. Obama has taken care of them as best that he can. R&R's Budget calls for cut's for Vet's and the issue that People do not understand is when they hear Military Spending, That is HARDWARE, not Veterans Benefit's. And for a person like Romney to not acknowledge the Member's of the Armed Forces, Veterans, is very telling. Romney and Ryan like to play the FEAR factor just like Bush did, I can only hope People are not duped. Our JCS,and SEC of Navy, know what they want or need. Technology mean's less people, I wish People would comprehend that, But it is the old FEAR FACTOR and nothing more. Don't forget the sacrifice's made by these Men and Women, along with their Families especially those who lost their life, If you or anyone ever has the oppurtunity to personally help out a Veteran take the time, It means alot to them, simple gestures go along way. Thank's
It's like when I was the only antiwar Vietnam veteran traveling around to campuses in Colorado in the 60s. The local YAF chapter would show up to heckle my "patriotism." I'd ask the leader - since he was such an obvious patriot - when he was going to drop out of school, volunteer for the Army, volunteer for the infantry, and volunteer to go to Vietnam. They always shut up after that.
Q: How can you tell a Republican is something you have to scrape off the bottom of your shoe?
A: It's a Republican, right?
So, was the afghan war paid for? Or was it charged to the credit card? I think that is a pertinent question. And, please answer the same about Iraq. I'm getting conflicting stories about it, so someone is lying through their teeth on this issue.