Day: July 26, 2012

Sully: The Persistent Oddness of Mitt Romney

Jon Ponder

WTF? If your spouse’s horse were in an Olympic contest, would you not even watch? This is either a fib, designed to insulate him from whatever minimal fallout there is from owning a dressage horse; or it’s true and he’s just unlike other human beings. I mean, Obama makes sure he sees his daughters’ high school sports games. But Romney won’t even watch his wife’s horse at the Olympics?

– Andrew Sullivan at The Dish, reacting Mitt Romney telling a reporter that, even though he is in London for the Games, he will not watch his wife’s horse-dancing competition. “I have to tell you,” Romney said, “This is Ann’s sport. I’m not even sure which day the sport goes on. She will get the chance to see it, I will not be watching the event. I hope her horse does well.”

Jon Stewart on GOP Lies about Obama’s ‘Build It’ Comment: ‘You Really Wanna Hang Your Entire Campaign on a Willful, Out of Context Misunderstanding?’

Jon Ponder

AtlanticWire:

Jon Stewart delves into the debate surrounding President Barack Obama’s “you didn’t build that” line last night on The Daily Show. Or rather, he delved into the lack of need for debate around Obama’s poorly worded assertion that businesses received government help to succeed. “You really wanna hang your entire campaign on a willful, out of context misunderstanding?” he asked the Mitt Romney campaign.

[…]

Romney Fails at Diplomacy on Day One of European Tour

Jon Ponder

Mitt Romney is in Europe this week for two reasons. He is there to watch his wife’s horse compete in a dressage event at the Olympics, and, by the way, to show that he has the diplomatic chops and foreign-affairs know-how to be president of the United States.

“You know, it’s hard to know just how well it will turn out. There are a few things that were disconcerting.”
– Mitt Romney in London

On the latter bit, he has already failed.

Romney’s trip got off to a rocky start even before he left the country yesterday. Two of his advisers anonymously told the London Telegraph that Romney, whose father was born in Mexico and was white, is “part of an Anglo-Saxon heritage,” implying that President Obama, whose father was a born a British citizen but was black, was not. Now Romney has insulted his hosts by criticizing the London Olympics even before the opening ceremonies have gotten underway:

[…]

International Trip Will Underscore Romney’s Lack of Foreign Policy Vision

Buck Banks

In an election dominated by the economy, it might not be disqualifying. But in a close race, any disadvantage could spell defeat. Thus, Romney’s trip over the next week to the U.K., Israel and Poland is an effort to build his credibility as a statesman. But the first step was a Tuesday speech in Reno, Nev., to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention designed to draw a contrast with Obama. It was not a promising start. Romney’s main shortcoming is that he has no clear alternative vision on foreign policy. His primary complaint with Obama is both amorphous and unfair: Romney presents himself as a tribune for the ideals of American greatness and exceptionalism.

— Michael Crowley, writing in TIME’s “Swampland” column.

If Guns are the Problem, More Guns are the Solution

Trish

I also believe that a lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not in the hands of criminals. That they belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities.

Pres. Obama, making a rare statement in support of restricting the types of assault weapons, and presumably, military protection gear, tear gas canisters, and other explosives used by the Batman movie theater killer. Obama, who is constantly accused of leading the charge for gun control (Bumper sticker: “I’ll keep my guns and money, you keep the change”) has actually been little threat to gun ownership. Meanwhile, gun supporters have successfully reframed the debate from needing guns for hunting to needing them for personal protection. According to the gun lobby, safeguarding one’s home explains the rise in stockpiling of paramilitary weapons and ammunition since 2008.

Cameron Admits There Is a Difference Between London and Salt Lake City

Buck Banks

We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. Of course it’s easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere.

— British Prime Minister David Cameron, quoted by the Daily Telegraph, slapping back at suggestions from Mitt Romney that Britain wasn’t prepared for the 2012 Olympic games.