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WaPo Editorial:"Romney’s rhetoric on embassy attacks discredits his campaign"

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2012
Posted on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:00:47 PM EST
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Fred Hiatt's Editorial Board!!!

it was stunning to see the GOP nominee renew his verbal offensive Wednesday morning, when the country was still absorbing the news of the first death in service of a U.S. ambassador since 1988, as well as the loss of three other Americans. Though reports were still sketchy, it appeared that a militant jihadist group, Ansar al-Sharia, took advantage of the Benghazi protest to stage an armed assault that overwhelmed the Libyan security force at the consulate.

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    WaPo Editorial:"Romney’s rhetoric on embassy attacks discredits his campaign" | 54 comments (54 topical)

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    TPM: (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by lilburro on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:30:19 PM EST
    President Obama pushed back against Mitt Romney's accusation that his administration mishandled its response to the Libya crisis, noting that Romney bungled basic facts in his Tuesday night statement.

    "There's a broader lesson to be learned here: Gov. 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," Obama told CBS News Wednesday."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 them."

    TPM

    F*ck Romney for this whole thing.  It feels like a week of political bs has been packed into one day and it's completely obscuring the actual tragedy and the actual serious talk about what it means for our FP and our country generally.  No room for reflection or mourning, just attack.  Unbelievable.

    Cut the first line (none / 0) (#5)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:33:22 PM EST
    and it is a great statement.

    But I saw the clip and his tone is quite good.

    As video it works.

    Parent

    Pitch perfect response, (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by NYShooter on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:26:56 AM EST
     just the right,  restrained,  touch of barely concealed, inner anger.

    I think Romney's halo is irretrievably broken. The American people are finally exposed to the personality that Romney displayed in humiliating, and hair cutting, that poor victim from Mitt's college days.

    Missionary, my Ass! All that's left is the flailing.  


    Parent

    Here's the (none / 0) (#10)
    by CoralGables on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:43:39 PM EST
    clip

    Parent
    Romney's unfounded charge (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by cal1942 on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 04:08:14 PM EST
     
    "an apology for America's values."

    is, IMO, another in the series of coded racial assaults.  

    IMO, today's Romney remarks are in the same category as:

    Obama doesn't understand America, Obama's policies are European, the lying welfare TV ads, etc., etc. and all of the various attempts to make Obama appear as an "other."  

    The fact that Romney is willing to be a part of what may be the dirtiest, most blatantly dishonest campaign since the start of the television age makes him the last half-century's most despicable major party candidate. IMO of course.

    "an apology for America's values" (5.00 / 2) (#30)
    by DFLer on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 08:19:03 PM EST
    If this statemnt:

    We] condemn[] the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims--as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions.

    is the apology to which Mitt refers, then he is saying that to offend religion...etc. is an American value for which the embassy "apologized"

    seems to me.

    Parent

    wow, color me stunned! not. (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by cpinva on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 04:32:12 PM EST
    mr. romney consistently proves, in his public statements, why he doesn't have the chops to be president. could be this is one of the reasons mccain picked palin over him, in 2008. while all of us have feet of clay, mr. romney's appear to be of a thicker consistency than most, not someone you want representing this country to the rest of the world.

    perhaps, mr. romney realizes his chances of electoral success come nov. 6 are slim, and so figures he has nothing to lose. he's wrong. losing an election isn't that big of a deal, losing your honor is.

    Yes, indeed (5.00 / 3) (#14)
    by Zorba on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 04:58:41 PM EST
    Although, you are assuming that Romney had any honor to lose to begin with.  

    Parent
    Ms Zorba, (5.00 / 4) (#36)
    by NYShooter on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:40:11 AM EST
    I have never had a problem with draft aged boys doing whatever they could to avoid military service. Were it not for some uniquely personal reasons I would have led the parade to Montreal.

    But, words cannot express my anger at those who advocated for the war, but evaded service personally. If I knew nothing else but the hypocrisy of the cowardly pro war draft dodgers like Cheney, Romney, and virtually the entire young republican political movement, including in his own unique way, GWB, it would tell me all I need to know.

    I know we're not supposed to "hate."

    I Hate.


    Parent

    Well (none / 0) (#15)
    by lilburro on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:07:39 PM EST
    analysts said he had to start doing some high risk sh*t but really?!!!

    Parent
    Anyone notice that as the campaign (4.00 / 1) (#31)
    by ruffian on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 08:22:06 PM EST
    goes on Romney looks less and less like the polished Boston businessman and governor and more and more like the crazy western local pol? His hair doesn't even look good and he just looks frazzled all the time. not good.

    "western" as in (5.00 / 1) (#32)
    by nycstray on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 08:26:22 PM EST
    Arizona?

    Parent
    I was thinking more mountain west- (none / 0) (#33)
    by ruffian on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 08:56:32 PM EST
    But Arizona works.

    Parent
    The Beatles said it best, (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by NYShooter on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:43:53 AM EST
    "Nowhere man"

    Parent
    What it was (1.00 / 6) (#1)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:09:11 PM EST
    was refreshing and accurate.

    It is the time to tell the truth.

    Thank you, Rush Limbaugh. (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by Anne on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:26:31 PM EST
    Didn't know you were smoking crack now, too.

    Parent
    You must (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:27:30 PM EST
    have loved Dick Cheney then. I guess you thought Cheney was "refreshing and accurate" too.

    Parent
    What it was (5.00 / 6) (#6)
    by jtaylorr on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:35:40 PM EST
    was absolutely disgusting.

    Parent
    Lies are "the truth"? (5.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Yman on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:38:10 PM EST
    Only in Jimland.

    Explain this, Jim.  How is it even possible (as Romney claimed) for Obama's first response to the attack to be "an apology", when the statement was issued before the attack?

    Romney should apologize for his despicable behavior, ...

    ... and you should do the same for trying to defend his lies.

    Parent

    Yes, it was accurate ... and the truth ... that (5.00 / 2) (#8)
    by Erehwon on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:42:34 PM EST
    Romney is most definitely unAmerican and does not have a shred of human decency in him. Time to tell the truth indeed!

    Parent
    I don't believe (5.00 / 5) (#11)
    by cal1942 on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 03:53:13 PM EST
    you have an actual reading comprehension problem so given your remarks I have to say that nothing you post here can be regarded as anywhere near credible.

    Parent
    LOL (1.00 / 2) (#16)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:16:46 PM EST
    I see the usual suspects rise to attack, but with nothing but personal insults.

    I am shocked. Yes shocked to find you doing that.

    Parent

    Jim: You are playing the Lackey. C'mon... (5.00 / 2) (#21)
    by christinep on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:42:51 PM EST


    Parent
    Jim (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by fishcamp on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:46:08 PM EST
    We are going to have to take away your civics merit badge.

    Parent
    Jim, I'm glad to see you're well, (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by NYShooter on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:13:46 AM EST
    and that there's nothing wrong with your comprehension. Your observation regarding our fellow posters and their "personal insults" shows there's nothing wrong with their observations either.

    Parent
    A nifty insult shooter ;-) (none / 0) (#39)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 12:21:51 PM EST
    And here I was hoping that exposure to southern hospitality would change you.

    But alas, it has not.

    Parent

    "Southern hospitality" (none / 0) (#42)
    by Yman on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 01:43:01 PM EST
    You mean, instead of speaking directly, you should make accusations in a cowardly, back-handed manner with a "Bless your little heart!" or an "LOL!"?

    Nahhhhhh .......

    Parent

    Insults to the intelligence (none / 0) (#47)
    by NYShooter on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:50:35 PM EST
    know no regional boundaries. And, you'll notice, my so-called "insults," are in response to, not an opening salvo.

    Also, you'll notice, New York & Tennessee have some historical similarities. I'm sure you're not too old to remember that be-all, end-all refrain that settled most arguments: "you started it, you started it, na,na-na, na na.

    So there!
     Here's to you, Jim.....lol

    Parent

    Hey, shooter I gave you props (none / 0) (#53)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 11:33:15 PM EST
    that was a nifty one..

    But I wasn't talking about regional insults... I was talking about southern hospitality... hoping some of it rubbed off on you!

    ;-)

    Parent

    And has anyone ever told you (1.00 / 2) (#17)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:19:04 PM EST
    that the embassy officials speak for the President and America??

    Parent
    does it matter to you that the embassy's (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by DFLer on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:35:18 PM EST
    remarks were before the Libyan attack, and Romney characterized them as a
    Response to the fatal attack?

    Parent
    He's trolling (5.00 / 6) (#20)
    by Yman on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:38:03 PM EST
    No time for facts.

    Parent
    He got it exactly right. (1.00 / 2) (#38)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 12:19:08 PM EST


    Parent
    No, he didn't. (5.00 / 2) (#41)
    by shoephone on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 01:38:30 PM EST
    He was totally inaccurate. That has been proven.

    Parent
    The WH was also (none / 0) (#44)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:36:38 PM EST
    having kittens over the tweet.

    Parent
    Not the WH (none / 0) (#48)
    by Yman on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:51:45 PM EST
    ... just a few, crazy wingers.

    Parent
    Nope (none / 0) (#45)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:40:51 PM EST
    Here is the timeline.

    Ain't Google Great?????

    Parent

    It is (none / 0) (#46)
    by Yman on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:50:28 PM EST
    Thanks for disproving Romney's (and your own) lies.

    Parent
    Breitbart.. (none / 0) (#49)
    by jondee on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:57:45 PM EST
    a completely disinterested, reliable and honorable source of information, if there ever was one.

    Parent
    Thanks Jondee (none / 0) (#51)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 11:30:08 PM EST
    I appreciate you agreeing with me.

    ;-)

    Parent

    Thanks Jondee (none / 0) (#52)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 11:30:08 PM EST
    I appreciate you agreeing with me.

    ;-)

    Parent

    2nd childhold, 2nd posting? (5.00 / 1) (#55)
    by observed on Fri Sep 14, 2012 at 05:20:51 AM EST
    Interesting new pattern. Maybe he's not even aware of it.

    Parent
    BTW - Breitbart is a hilarious source (none / 0) (#50)
    by Yman on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 02:59:22 PM EST
    Here's a timeline from a slightly more respectable, conservative source:

    Time-Line Of Cairo Events Reveals Romney's Deeply Flawed Rush To Judgment

    The problem is, most of Governor Romney's statement is wildly inaccurate.

    We now know that the embassy press release that so raised the ire of the Romney campaign was published more than 3 ½ hours before the protests began and a full 5 ½ hours before the protestors first breached the wall of the embassy compound. As a result, it was not possible that the statement was issued in response to the embassy' wall being being breached by the mob.



    Parent
    Since you folks insist, here is the timeline (none / 0) (#54)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 11:37:16 PM EST
    7:00-7:20PM - The Embassy puts out another tweet tripling down on their initial statement. "This morning's condemnation (issued before the protests began) still stands. As does our condemnation of unjustified breach of the Embassy." This tweet is later deleted.
    8:06PM - AP reports an attack on the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya has resulted in one death and one injury.
    10:09PM - The Romney camp sends out a brief statement which reads, "I'm outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi. It's 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." The statement is embargoed until midnight.
    10:10PM - Politico reports an unnamed Obama administration official is disavowing the statement posted on the US Embassy website, claiming it was unauthorized. No explanation is offered why the embassy was still pushing it as of 7PM.
    ~10:25PM - The Romney camp sends out another email ending the embargo on its statement.


    Parent
    Part of it (none / 0) (#56)
    by Yman on Fri Sep 14, 2012 at 09:08:04 AM EST
    But yes, the timeline that shows that Romney was lying when he tried to use the attack for political purposes.  What Romney said:

    I'm outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi," Mr. Romney said in a statement that went out just before 10:30 p.m. "It's 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."

    The "Obama administration's first response (according to the wingers) was a statement put out by the embassy which was not "sympathizing" or apologizing to the attackers, but stating the obvious - the Islamaphobic hate-film does not represent the views of the US govt., which should be obvious to anyone with a double-digit IQ:

    "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."

    This statement was issued 6 hours before before the attack - and not in response to it - as Romney claimed.  Here's an actual news source (as opposed to Breitbart) with a timeline spelling out the numerous falsehoods in Romney's statements.

    Romney and those who continue to try to defend his statements are simply lying.

    Not that anyone should be surprised by it.

    Parent

    If he's right (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Yman on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 01:46:16 PM EST
    Explain how the embassy could issue an "apology" for the attack before the attack ever happened.

    If, for some strange reason, anyone ever took your silly claims seriously, this would be a perfect example of why they should stop.

    Parent

    I want the truth... (none / 0) (#19)
    by samsguy18 on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:37:29 PM EST
    ..four Americans were murdered...it would appear this was a deliberate attack.....In Jim's defense there are many unanswered questions....We still haven't heard from Egypt....both sides Obama / Romney are trying to score political points.......also today Obama should not have gone to Las Vegas !
    this could be an escalating situation with many more Americans at risk .

    I don't (5.00 / 4) (#23)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:47:34 PM EST
    mind finding out what happened. Actually I believe they already know many of the details about this. Jim unfortunately doesn't want a discussion based on facts and information, he just wants affirmation of his preconceived views.

    Parent
    We all should want the truth, samsguy (5.00 / 3) (#24)
    by christinep on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 05:49:01 PM EST
    That is why it is wise to await the facts, to listen & learn, in these life & death matters. In matters of foreign policy--and, especially in times of crisis bend our shores, the President speaks for Americans... The President is our voice when the events are unfolding & we are learning the facts. Romney ran afoul of that longtime expectation...for whatever reason he demonstrated an inability to await the facts.

    Parent
    It doesn't matter if you think (5.00 / 2) (#26)
    by shoephone on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 06:06:34 PM EST
    Obama is trying to score political points, he's certainly more knowledgable about these events than the tin-eared sociopath from Bainville. As someone who has criticized Obama for many policies and actions the past three years, this is one time where I have no criticism at all. I find nothing lacking, so far, in his response to this tragedy. We are all still finding out the details. And, frankly, I find it obnoxious that trolls are trying to stir up a bunch of fake sh*t for their own vile purposes.

    Parent
    Would someone define trolling to me (none / 0) (#27)
    by samsguy18 on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 06:19:30 PM EST
    I have been here  for a long time ....I have great respect for  all the commenters I've come to know  over the years whether I've agreed with them or not....If I don't agree I rate them accordingly

    Sure (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by Yman on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 06:54:22 PM EST
    Here ya go.

    Parent
    Thank you....Yman (none / 0) (#29)
    by samsguy18 on Wed Sep 12, 2012 at 07:01:36 PM EST


    Parent
    Wash Post sense of courage (none / 0) (#40)
    by diogenes on Thu Sep 13, 2012 at 12:27:29 PM EST
    I forgot whether the Washington Post stepped up and reprinted the Danish cartoons of the prophet Mohammed which resulted in all those death threats (thus spreading the risk to all the newspapers in the world instead of leaving it focused on the poor souls in Denmark) or whether the Post's level of courage is as discredited as it says Romney's campaign is.
    WaPo Editorial:"Romney’s rhetoric on embassy attacks discredits his campaign" | 54 comments (54 topical)

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