Mitt Romney Unfit For Government

Lakhota · Sep 12, 2012

The obvious responsible thing to do when American citizens and public officials are under physical threat abroad and when the details are unknown, and events spiraling, is to stay silent. If the event happens on the day of September 11 and you are a candidate for president and have observed a political truce, all the more reason to wait to allow the facts to emerge. After all, country before party, right? American lives are at stake, yes? An easy call, no?

But that's not what the Romney camp did. What they did was seize on a tweet issued by someone in the US Embassy before the attacks in order to indict the president for "sympathizing" with those who murdered a US ambassador after the attacks. Unfuckingbelievable. Here's the embassy statement from earlier in the day that set off the neocons:

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.

The statement came from someone in the embassy, and was not formally issued by the State Department or the White House, both of which have subsequently disavowed the tweet for not also defending absolute freedom of speech. The facts were still murky last night. But the Romney campaign immediately tried to shoe-horn yesterday's fog of mob violence into the "apology" rubric Romney loves so much. The Priebus tweet is disgusting. The first Romney statement is no better:

Im outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi. Its disgraceful that the Obama administrations first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.

That's untrue. The Obama administration did not issue the tweet, which was, in any case, tweeted before the attacks, not after. Today, Romney doubled down on these two obvious misstatements:

We join together in the condemnation of attacks on the American embassies and the loss of American life and join in sympathy for these people. Its also important for me just as it was for the White House, last night by the way to say that the statements were inappropriate, and in my view a disgraceful statement on the part of our administration to apologize for American values...

A brief moment of digression: the White House disowned a statement it itself did not release - but is then equally responsible for the tweet itself? The mind boggles. Then this, apparently, is an apology for American values:

Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.
Click to expand...

More: Unfit For Government - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast

hortysir · Sep 12, 2012

10 cents

Lakhota · Sep 12, 2012

Responding to Embassy Attacks, Romney Goes the Full D'Souza | Mother Jones

regent · Sep 12, 2012

It ain't like the Republicans had a hell of a lot of choices.

Barb · Sep 12, 2012

Lakhota said: ↑

The obvious responsible thing to do when American citizens and public officials are under physical threat abroad and when the details are unknown, and events spiraling, is to stay silent. If the event happens on the day of September 11 and you are a candidate for president and have observed a political truce, all the more reason to wait to allow the facts to emerge. After all, country before party, right? American lives are at stake, yes? An easy call, no?

But that's not what the Romney camp did. What they did was seize on a tweet issued by someone in the US Embassy before the attacks in order to indict the president for "sympathizing" with those who murdered a US ambassador after the attacks. Unfuckingbelievable. Here's the embassy statement from earlier in the day that set off the neocons:

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.

The statement came from someone in the embassy, and was not formally issued by the State Department or the White House, both of which have subsequently disavowed the tweet for not also defending absolute freedom of speech. The facts were still murky last night. But the Romney campaign immediately tried to shoe-horn yesterday's fog of mob violence into the "apology" rubric Romney loves so much. The Priebus tweet is disgusting. The first Romney statement is no better:

Im outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi. Its disgraceful that the Obama administrations first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.

That's untrue. The Obama administration did not issue the tweet, which was, in any case, tweeted before the attacks, not after. Today, Romney doubled down on these two obvious misstatements:

We join together in the condemnation of attacks on the American embassies and the loss of American life and join in sympathy for these people. Its also important for me just as it was for the White House, last night by the way to say that the statements were inappropriate, and in my view a disgraceful statement on the part of our administration to apologize for American values...

A brief moment of digression: the White House disowned a statement it itself did not release - but is then equally responsible for the tweet itself? The mind boggles. Then this, apparently, is an apology for American values:

Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.
Click to expand...

More: Unfit For Government - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast
Click to expand...

Romney campaign links embassy attacks to Obama

The Romney campaign had initially sent out the statement under embargo, presumably to adhere to its pledge to avoid negative campaigning on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, but then allowed reporters to publish it earlier.
Click to expand...

he just couldn't resist. Poor impulse control?

Charles_Main · Sep 12, 2012

Yes, shame on him for Speaking the Truth. Obama is an Utter Failure, This is just more proof of that.

Zander · Sep 12, 2012

Yes, let's blame Romney for Obama's failed policies. .....

rightwinger · Sep 12, 2012

Mitt showed how he reacts in times of crisis

It wasnt pretty

tinydancer · Sep 12, 2012

Lakhota why don't you just permanently have a thread going with all your favorite blogs in the Media section of USMB?

If I wanted to read all the blogs you drag in here I could visit that thread then. This is supposed to be a discussion board not just your personal listings of all your favorite bloggers with no commentary.

Salt Jones · Sep 12, 2012

Charles_Main said: ↑

Yes, shame on him for Speaking the Truth. Obama is an Utter Failure, This is just more proof of that.
Click to expand...

Really? Peggy Noonan, Mark Salter and other Republicans don't think so. Romney McCained himself.

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Mitt Romney Unfit For Government

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Mitt Romney Unfit For Government

Lakhota Diamond Member

hortysir In Memorial of 47

Lakhota Diamond Member

regent Gold Member

Barb Carpe Scrotum

Charles_Main AR15 Owner

Zander Platinum Member

rightwinger Award Winning USMB Paid Messageboard Poster Gold Supporting Member Supporting Member

tinydancer Diamond Member

Salt Jones BANNED

Latest Threads

Putting policy aside, I just don’t understand why republicans can’t admit how mentally ill Trump is

Democrats File Suit in Federal Civil Court Because They Lost an Election

Trump on Obama: Golf, golf, golf, golf, more, more, more. I would never play golf. I'd work!

Africa from the perspctive of Africans, not whites

Cycling

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