Romney’s rash statement last night is being widely criticized:
Foreign Policy Hands Voice Disbelief At Romney Cairo Statement
“Bungle… utter disaster…not ready for prime time… not presidential… Lehman moment.” And that’s just the Republicans.
Mitt Romney’s sharply-worded attack on President Obama over a pair of deadly riots in Muslim countries last night has backfired badly among foreign policy hands of both parties, who cast it as hasty and off-key, released before the facts were clear at what has become a moment of tragedy.
Romney’s statement . . . came just before news that the American Ambassador to Libya had been killed and broke with a tradition of unity around national tragedies, and of avoiding hasty statements on foreign policy. It was the second time Romney has been burned by an early statement on a complex crisis: Romney denounced the Obama Administration’s handling of a Chinese dissident’s escape just as the Administration negotiated behind the scenes for his departure from the country.
You can have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or democracy. But you cannot have both.
Whatever Works 
This asshole wants to be president? If he ever did win, then stop the world. I want to get off.
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Don, I think he hurts himself with this one. It’s amateur hour.
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He was never this bad, when he was governor of my state. Yes, he did make some insane statements, but nothing as damaging as how and what he is saying. And it seems to get worse by the minute.
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Friend of mine, former Bay Stater as well, said he was an okay guv. Now he looks back and thinks maybe Romney just changed his stripes then as well to fit in wtih the MA zeitgeist?
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When he was governor, he was a moderate then, and you never heard a peep from his wife. Now he is just talking like a full blown jackass, to pander to the right-wingers. With that said, he is just a politician who is phony as day one.
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If he’s elected, we’ll all get off the world, because his lack of diplomacy and compassion is going to get us all killed.
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Also remember that Romney has been saber-rattling over the nuclear crisis with Iran lately. The hasty, ill-conceived and disastrous rush to the Iraq War is still visible in our rear-view mirrors and here the Republicans go again. They’ve got a war-making hammer and everything looks like a nail to them. Don and Hat are right – as President this guy would be a disaster. Hell, as a candidate he’s a disaster.
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At this point Jim, I think the ‘down ticket’ Republican candidates for Senate and House should be plenty worried.
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I do not want Mr. Romney in the White House.
His amateurish approach to foreign policy is frightening.
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Hi Dean, welcome! Even an experienced businessman should know to hold your fire till the smoke clears.
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The details of Romney’s ill-timed political attack continue to steam my brain. He accused President Obama of “apologizing for American values” and now I’m wishing some thoughtful reporter will pin him down on just what “values” he’s talking about. His words were said to be directed at the Cairo Embassy statement issued in the wake of protests over the anti-Islamic YouTube clip:
“The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims.”
While I don’t see any apology in that, I’m still wondering what “American values” he thinks might be affronted by that statement? Is he referring obliquely to the notion that America is a Christian nation? And if he thinks that, what kind of Christian nation would that be?
Baptist?
Methodist?
Catholic?
Jehova’s Witnesses?
Assyrian?
Anglican?
Adventist?
Eastern Orthodox?
Pentecostal?
Lutheran?
Presbyterian
Unitarian?
Jimmy Swaggart?
Oral Roberts?
Pat Robertson?
Latter Day Saints?
Nuts to Romney.
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Jim, those making the most noise here seem not to be aware that there are as many sects of Islam as there are of Christianity. Which is why we ended up handing Iraq over to Iran. Shiite brothers in arms now.
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Exactly right, Moe, and don’t forget that Iraq’s internal violence is much worse now than it ever was under the dictator Saddam Hussein. Evil bastard that he was, he kept the Shiites in line. Same for Mubarak. I think the moral here is the same one we should have learned from the Vietnam War (but didn’t), that it is hubris for America to try to export our culture, and of course religion is part of culture.
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I’m sure you remember Iran before the Shah. A rapidly modernizing country aligning with the West. They democratically elected a prez, Mussadeh(?) who was the toast of NY when he came to the UN. But our Dulles brothers thought him way too ‘left leaning’ and overthrew him and set up the Shah. Which led directly to the growth of the Islamic resistance. We reapz what we sowz.
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As scary is the staff that thought the comments was appropriate and wrote them for him. Do they get offices in the West Wing if, heaven forbid, he is elected?
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My reaction too Woodstock – a well intentioned statement, but very badly worded. It even had me wondering if the employee was perhaps Egyptian, speaking English as a second language.
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