http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/foreign-policy-hands-voice-disbelief-at-romney-cai

"They were just trying to score a cheap news cycle hit based on the embassy statement and now it’s just completely blown up," said a very senior Republican foreign policy hand, who called the statement an "utter disaster" and a "Lehman moment" — a parallel to the moment when John McCain, amid the 2008 financial crisis, failed to come across as a steady leader.

He and other members of both parties cited the Romney campaign's recent dismissals of foreign policy's relevance. One adviser dismissed the subject to BuzzFeed as a "shiny object," while another told Politico that the subject was the "president's turf," drawing a rebuke from Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol.

"I guess we see now that it is because they’re incompetent at talking effectively about foreign policy," said the Republican. "This is just unbelievable — when they decide to play on it they completely bungle it."

Romney has not backed off the response — "It's never too early for the United States government to condemn attacks on Americans and to defend our values," he said Wednesday — but his campaign faces a near consensus in Republican foreign policy circles that, whatever the sentiment, Romney faltered badly.

"It’s deeply unfortunate when the circumstance of the statement becomes the story," said Rick Perry's former foreign policy adviser, Victoria Coates, who is now an adjunct fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, and who suggested that Romney should simply have "gone earlier rather than save it for midnight" to avoid appearing to play politics on September 11. "It’s unfortunate that it’s playing out this way, and hopefully they can get back on message, because their point is sound," she said.

Other conservatives were less sympathetic.

"It's bad," said a former aide to Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. "Just on a factual level that the statement was not a response but preceding, or one could make the case precipitating. And just calling it a 'disgrace' doesn't really cut it. Not ready for prime time."

A third Republican, a former Bush State Department official, told BuzzFeed, "It wasn't presidential of Romney to go political immediately — a tragedy of this magnitude should be something the nation collectively grieves before politics enters the conversation."

9/12/2012 4:12:13 PM

IBTL

9/12/2012 4:14:22 PM

Keep trying to make this an issue all you want.

In other news, Russian warships were used in DNC tribute to veterans.

Ermahgerd?

Nobody gives a shit about any of these things except the unintelligent.

Congratulations.

9/12/2012 4:21:13 PM

another case of democratics getting all desperate and stuff, right willy?

9/12/2012 4:34:24 PM

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57511601-503544/obama-romney-shoots-first-aims-later/

Quote :

""There's a broader lesson to be learned here," Mr. Obama told "60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft. "And I think -- you know, Governor Romney seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later. And as president, one of the things I've learned is you can't do that. That, you know, it's important for you to make sure that the statements that you make are backed up by the facts. And that you've thought through the ramifications before you make 'em." Asked if Romney's attacks were irresponsible, the president replied, "I'll let the American people judge that.""

Romney. Is. Done.

9/12/2012 4:35:19 PM

Thank you, liberal prophet of TSB.

Funny CBS news is the only one running that interview on their front page, and below many other stories at that.

Should be telling that MSNBC, ABC, CNN,... nobody else is touching Romney as "off base."

Everyone else is focusing on this:

Quote :

" The Obama campaign pounced on the timing of Romney's statement, which broke an arbitrarily held 9/11 detente between the candidates. "We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Governor Romney would choose to launch a political attack," Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said in a statement. Romney was undeterred. He held a news conference in Jacksonville, Fla., today to escalate his criticism. He said it was "disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks." When told the embassy statement was issued before the Cairo or Benghazi attacks took place, Romney said that the embassy reiterated the point after the walls of the Egyptian embassy had been breached. He rejected the suggestion during the news conference that his campaign had "jumped the gun," saying, "I don't think we ever hesitate when we see something in violation of our principles." Romney also insisted that the Obama administration, which had distanced itself from the embassy's comment, had to take responsibility. "Their administration spoke," he told reporters. "The president takes responsibility not just for the words that come from his mouth but also the words that come from his ambassadors, from his administration, from his embassies, from his state department. They clearly sent mixed messages to the world and the statement... is akin to an apology." President Obama, speaking in the Rose Garden after Romney finished his press conference in Florida, made no mention of his rival. "

In my opinion that type of narrative is exactly what Romney wants. It's the exact language he's going to use from now until election day and it's the same attacks he's going to level at Obama on stage.

I don't know what you're so upset about. Obama is your man and you take offense to these Romney comments, fair enough, go vote for him. If Romney is your man then you appreciate any criticism at all they he hurls at the dreaded enemy.

I assume you think he's done because this type of language turns off independents, whatever really. I'm not going to argue that point with you until after the election. You're focusing on small things trying to make them big things and you jump on Republicans when they do the same.

Obama missteps constantly and he gets pounced on constantly. I'm sure you don't appreciate it in those cases either. This is all very distracting.

[Edited on September 12, 2012 at 4:47 PM. Reason : -]

9/12/2012 4:39:05 PM

Quote :

".....statements that you make are backed up by the facts."

aha, I can't say that any politician can say they do this 100% of the time.... especially dems. But by contrast, in this situation at least, dems. clearly have the high road. The situation is only made worse by doubling down on the original remarks. Furthermore if the Romney campaign chose to take this kind of a low-blow shot to score political points, and it backfires...well...the Obama campaign is perfectly welcome to fire back and blow it out of proportion.

Personally, I don't think this issue should have even been politicized when Stevens probably isn't even buried in the ground yet. Shrug.

9/12/2012 4:54:36 PM

For those times when the Romney credibility thread... and the other thread you created just weren't quite enough.

9/12/2012 5:01:15 PM

http://imgur.com/a/tlCyI

9/12/2012 7:26:58 PM

9/12/2012 7:31:05 PM

What was the original statement put out by the embassy?

9/12/2012 9:09:25 PM

http://egypt.usembassy.gov/pr091112.html

9/12/2012 9:14:34 PM

Quote :

"We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others"

So... when we as a people have an opinion, we can use free speech when it's not offensive . No wonder the Obama administration didn't see this before it got published.

9/12/2012 9:32:31 PM

Sorry, but words having meanings. Condemning the words spoken (or the movie in this case) as offensive is not tantamount to rebuking one's right to say them.

The embassy essentially said they don't condone trolling. How's that hard to understand? Especially considering the circumstances in which the staff found themselves.

9/12/2012 10:14:26 PM

So was the movie attempted psyop that back fired?

9/12/2012 10:24:47 PM

http://washingtonexaminer.com/how-the-media-turned-obamas-foreign-policy-bungle-into-a-romney-gaffe/article/2507779#disqus_thread

Quote :

"When Romney gave a press conference Wednesday, the questions focused on whether it was appropriate for him to criticize Obama at the time he did. Romney's responses didn't really matter, because reporters had already decided their narrative. Obama did not take any questions in his own press conference moments later. In 2004, John Kerry routinely attacked President Bush's handling of Iraq when things weren't going well in the country. And the media dutifully reported on Bush's foreign policy blunders in Iraq. But now, instead of scrutinizing Obama's handling of a foreign policy crisis, the media has decided that the real story in Egypt and Libya is a Mitt Romney gaffe."

9/12/2012 11:08:50 PM

um, he criticized Obama for something that had nothing to do with Obama-- a statement made over twitter by an embassy staffer BEFORE the attack actually took place.

kinda idiotic.

but then again we're talking about a party that once had their shit together, but now has now gone full retard.



[Edited on September 12, 2012 at 11:19 PM. Reason : .]

9/12/2012 11:18:20 PM

^^ Liberal media!!!

If you can't see the difference then Im not sure you can be helped.

9/12/2012 11:33:21 PM

More pics of Libyans rejecting the violence:

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/09/does-not-represent-us-moving-photos-pro-american-rallies-libya/56803/

Amazing how all Islamic people can't be painted with one brush .

9/13/2012 12:06:01 AM

ITT the POTUS is the dreaded enemy.

9/13/2012 1:17:38 AM

Those pictures are touching.

Bring on the pictures of Libyan authorities dragging the fuckers that did this into a police station.

9/13/2012 1:22:17 AM

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

DOES NOT MEAN

FREEDOM OF CRITICISM

FOR WHAT YOU SAY

[Edited on September 13, 2012 at 12:40 PM. Reason : .]

9/13/2012 12:33:12 PM

He talked in Fairfax, Va today. He was met with a heckler about the Libya stuff...and ended up cancelling THE MOMENT OF SILENCE he had planned for the slain diplomat

9/13/2012 6:01:19 PM

Romney was chosen to lose against obama.


This is just another opportunity to ensure this happens.

9/13/2012 6:08:22 PM

so you're saying that it's scripted?

9/13/2012 7:22:50 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSg6XwXe6WQ&t=21m55s


[Edited on September 13, 2012 at 7:51 PM. Reason : .]

9/13/2012 7:44:03 PM

Obama has his own gaffe to deal with now.

Fuck both of these idiots, amateur hour.

9/13/2012 8:09:54 PM

Quote :

"Through the 1970s, the United States underwent a wrenching period of low economic growth, high inflation and interest rates, and intermittent energy crises.[4] Added to this was a perceived sense of malaise that in both foreign and domestic affairs the nation was headed downward. By the beginning of the election season, the prolonged Iran hostage crisis had sharpened public perceptions of a national crisis.[5] Jimmy Carter was blamed for the Iran hostage crisis, in which the followers of the Ayatollah Khomeni burned American flags and chanted anti-American slogans, parading the captured American hostages in public, and burning effigies of Carter. Carter's critics saw him as an inept leader who had failed to solve the worsening economic problems at home. His supporters defended the president as a decent, well-intentioned man being unfairly attacked for problems that had been building for years."

9/13/2012 11:42:10 PM

Romney was a draft dodger and has no foreign policy credentials...

9/13/2012 11:47:44 PM

^^^what gaffe? The Egypt thing? It's practically a new country at this point, I don't see the real problem saying they aren't really an ally nor an enemy. It lets them know that if they don't fulfill the same diplomatic obligations the previous regime did they won't be receiving the same level of support.

9/14/2012 12:01:41 AM

^^^ Romney is not Reagan.

Why are you posting stupid shit?

9/14/2012 7:30:53 AM

^LOL. He was comparing Obama to Carter, not Romney to Reagan. And you called him stupid.

9/14/2012 7:33:38 AM

oh right I forgot Carter ran against himself.

9/14/2012 8:30:17 AM

The State Department has already corrected Obama on the status of Egypt as "ally."

Therefore disco_stu, I don't feel the need to correct you on anything.

You never cease to amaze me in arguing the most ridiculous little trifles.

Obama, your Lord and Savior, does not decide the status of these nations. This was a gaffe, plain and simple.

A more serious one than Romney's of course, because Romney's bullshit has zero international implications.

He is, after all, a nobody right now. Obama is President.

9/14/2012 10:08:17 AM

haha, i received a forwarded email from my aunt a few weeks ago that relentlessly bashed Obama for a speech he gave in Egypt a while back. His gaffe that time? He insinuated that Egypt was our ally.

Quote :

"because Romney's bullshit has zero international implications"

that's just silly. you don't think the world is paying attention to Romney right now?

[Edited on September 14, 2012 at 10:24 AM. Reason : ]

9/14/2012 10:23:04 AM

lol I'm not voting for Obama, but you can try to characterize me however you'd like.

He wasn't saying that he didn't know whether Egypt was an ally on the books, he was saying that the new government needs to prove itself (especially in light of the next to nothing they were doing at the time to protect our Cairo embassy) to continue to be considered an ally.

Technically the statement was inaccurate. If it helps you sleep at night.

^yes, and my conservative coworkers constantly tell me how weak his foreign policy is and how much he kowtows to muslims. You would think they would fucking love this comment.

[Edited on September 14, 2012 at 10:28 AM. Reason : .]

9/14/2012 10:27:29 AM

Quote :

"lol I'm not voting for Obama, but you can try to characterize me however you'd like. "

Once again, a right-winger assumes that if you don't agree with their opinions, it automatically means that Obama is you "Lord and Savior".

9/14/2012 10:43:54 AM

If we're not sure of their status as an "ally" then we should freeze whatever aid we give to them till they "figure it out".


As to the OP, no matter how many times you want it to happen, this is far from a meltdown. It would be nothing really if it wasn't for the MSM.

[Edited on September 14, 2012 at 11:03 AM. Reason : k]

9/14/2012 11:02:32 AM

^ it's news, for sure. His brief foray in to foreign policy has been a series of foot in mouth moments. And even Fox reported on it.

It's not a deal breaker or anything but it was a mistake and everyone knows it.

9/14/2012 11:07:58 AM

Quote :

"If we're not sure of their status as an "ally" then we should freeze whatever aid we give to them till they "figure it out"."

I don't entirely disagree with this. But I think having them as an ally is a worthy goal so maybe not freeze completely.

9/14/2012 11:13:53 AM

aren't they one of the more Israel-friendly arab nation? I know they were the first to recognize Israel. Seems that republicans would want them to be our ally.

9/14/2012 11:27:37 AM

Mubarak was Israel friendly, and took a very harsh anti-Islamist stance mostly due to the Egyptian economy's reliance on foreign tourism. Especially after the Luxor massacre, Mubarak worked very closely with Israel to eliminate extremist elements in Egypt.

This new government however, no one really knows, which was Obama's whole point. It was a nuanced and thoughtful response that's been typical for him. The world isn't black and white, and international relationships aren't as simple as ally and enemy.

9/14/2012 11:48:45 AM

Has the Romney campaign jumped the gun again and released a statement critical of the Administration's response to the attacks on the embassies in Tunisia and Sudan yet? I haven't had a chance to check MediaMatters or the President's twitter feed or the Huffington Post to find out.

[Edited on September 14, 2012 at 11:49 AM. Reason : ....]

9/14/2012 11:48:45 AM

Quote :

"aren't they one of the more Israel-friendly arab nation? I know they were the first to recognize Israel. Seems that republicans would want them to be our ally."

dude....you have not been paying attention to the last two years.

that government is gone...the Islamic Brotherhood is running the show now

9/14/2012 11:51:01 AM

Should have never allowed them a democratic election.

9/14/2012 12:00:24 PM

^^i have been paying attention somewhat and realize the government changed through a (somewhat free) democratic election. so what you're saying is that the obama administration should have denounced them as allies the day the elections took place? withdrew all dimplomats and cut funding? you think that would have been best?

did you hear about the militant gunmen attacking the Egyptian border police, and the Egyptian army and government retaliating?

9/14/2012 12:22:30 PM

http://freebeacon.com/carney-protests-not-directed-at-the-united-states/

lol,

...and death to America!

9/14/2012 1:00:16 PM

And the German Embassy they burned down means what, exactly?

These fuckers don't know what they're rioting against. not us is probably about it.

9/14/2012 1:25:21 PM

http://www.countercurrents.org/cc140912B.htm

Not the only variable obviously, but there's a pretty strong correlation between the price of food and how apt people are to be upset. Seeing as how almost every single Middle Eastern country has been systematically undermined if not outright sabotaged by the West for the past century, I can see how a pathology of blame towards the West would develop over time.

9/14/2012 3:49:53 PM

The military still rules Egypt and will continue to do so. The president has very little power. The election was all smoke and mirrors.

[Edited on September 14, 2012 at 9:02 PM. Reason : w]

9/14/2012 9:01:41 PM