Romneyshambles - Mitt Romney stuns Whitehall and London
Posted on Friday, July 27, 2012 at 03:33 AM
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Governor Brylcreem is one Anglo Saxon descendent who apparently forgets how to communicate with his own Anglo Saxon forebears.
In fact, diplomats at Whitehall are openly claiming that he makes Sarah Palin look like the political sage of our era. Romney's visit is a 'total car crash,' they scoffed to the right leaning Daily Mail.
Romney began his trip with one of his campaign aides claiming a Romney presidency would strengthen the already strong relationship between the US and UK, because Romney has white English ancestors and Barack Obama does not.
Perhaps that was a veiled appeal to the KKK vote back home, but it sank like a led balloon in London.
Meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron should have been an opportunity for Romney to reaffirm America's links to a traditional ally, but instead it became a bitch fest more suited to Downton Abbey.
Note to Romney, peeing from an elevated height on the nation you are about to visit is not politically smart.
Twitter predictably exploded with both anger and glee over Romney's increasing-by-the-hour series of cringe inducing gaffes.
The hashtag #Romneyshambles was quickly coined and followed by #AmericanBorat, a nod to comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's hapless journalist doubtfully representing the Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.
'You can tell Mitt Romney's doing badly when he starts getting booed by rich white people,' tweeted one commentator.
'Not since 1941 has London seen a bombing as thorough as Mitt Romney's,' tweeted another.
In a pointed reference to Romney's controversial exit from Bain Capital and the questions still surrounding his tax returns one tweeter snarked: 'Mitt Romney retroactively cancels visit to London…'
The scale of the rupture that has opened between him and the Brits can not be over emphasized. This should have been a cakewalk. Instead it represents the most disastrous American political introduction in living memory. News outlets were openly dubbing him 'Mitt the Twitt.'
Within a six hour period Romney was criticized by the British Prime Minister, mocked by the Mayor of London, got the name of the country wrong, apparently forget the name of the Labor Party leader Ed Miliband and refused to take any questions from the assembled US press pool.
Interestingly, Romney managed to unite both the British right and left in open disdain for his less than nimble roll out. Perhaps they have got wind of what he wrote about their scepter'd isle in his 2010 book, 'No Apology: The Case for American Greatness'.
'England is just a small island. Its roads and houses are small. With few exceptions, it doesn't make things that people in the rest of the world want to buy. And if it hadn't been separated from the continent by water, it almost certainly would have been lost to Hitler's ambitions…'
Way to warm up a crowd, Mitt.
95 comments
Realist | Jul 29, 2012, 11:13 AM EDT
EamonnDublin: Lol....the fact that the Republic of Ireland accepted a €7bn loan from Her Majesty's Government in April 2010 is just that....a fact.....it is neither "guff" nor "nonsense" as you put it. For your own and Ireland's good, I would suggest you move on from the perpetual navel-gazing victim routine. Let me break something to you my friend....the World simply doesn't care. After the first few words about big bad British this and big bad British that....their eyes are already rolling over....as it always has the same ending....poor little Ireland with their hands out yet again for sympathy, attention, and money from whom ever they can get it. Enda Kenny came away with a €7bn loan from the British government....I suggest you do as he did, tip your cap, express your thanks, and be on your way. If you find this cold hard reality "insulting", then I think you've led a sheltered life.
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EamonnDublin | Jul 29, 2012, 09:04 AM EDT
"Hollaback" - Is this an echo I see before me? I thought you had said the same thing earlier in this post? Mein Gott - a terrible thought has just struck me full in the face - maybe "Hollaback" has a Doppelganger? Éamonn, Doublin'.
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EamonnDublin | Jul 29, 2012, 08:53 AM EDT
"Realist" - Oh, I get it now, you are actually attempting to have a discussion - I had thought that you were just throwing insults around. I thought you were more focussed on Britain's recent act of charity to Ireland than you were on its ability to host the Olympics. As for my usage of the word "guff", as an apparent Englishman you should be aware that in addition to its meaning of "nonsense", etc., it also means insolence and/or verbal abuse - which was very obviously my usage of the word. I am not "blaming" anybody else for Ireland's current financial situation: our politicians, bankers, and property developers are to blame for that. What I DID say about Britain and Ireland was in direct response to your GUFF and any unjaundiced eye can see that. Now, can we not all be friends and have a chat - and yes, insult each other as friends do - without getting overly personal? We in Western civilization have to realise - and sooner rather than later - that when the Islamists appear on the brow of the hill we are all in it together. If we don't understand that simple fact - and up until now we show little sign of understanding it - then, unless we circle the wagons, we can ALL wave our asses goodbye! Now, shake on it and we'll talk later!? Best Wishes, Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.
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hollabackgurl | Jul 29, 2012, 08:52 AM EDT
Again all Mitt Romney had to do was look informed and presidential. He didn't though. He became a laughing stock.
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Realist | Jul 29, 2012, 08:05 AM EDT
EamonnDublin: Lol....the point was the UK's ability to host the Olympics. Please try to stay on topic. "guff"? Did the Republic of Ireland not accept a €7bn loan from Her Majesty's Government in April 2010? Did Enda Kenny not say, and I quote, "I'm satisfied that the British government made a bilateral loan to Ireland... which was very gratefully received." I wonder if Mr Kenny brought up your views on British/Irish history when he had his hand out for the money? I guess, when your country is an emotional and financial charity case....you take what you can get. All somebody else's fault of course. Why not write another song about it....that always helps....lol.
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EamonnDublin | Jul 29, 2012, 03:55 AM EDT
"Realist" - If I were you, "my friend", I wouldn't be bragging about the way official Britain has treated Ireland in the past. Oh, and it's not "the distant" past either! Such as in 1972, when British troops murdered in cold blood fourteen unarmed, innocent civilians on the street. When British/Irish history is put on the weighing scales, I fear Britain is the one which is found seriously wanting. So please don't give us that guff about the €7billion. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.
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Realist | Jul 28, 2012, 10:53 PM EDT
seano: Don't you worry my friend, the U.K. can afford the Olympics. They can also afford to lend the Republic of Ireland €7bn....for which Enda Kenny happily came, cap in hand, to Downing Street in 2010.
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SherryKay | Jul 28, 2012, 10:07 PM EDT
So,I shudder to think of the damage this lout Weird Willard & Airhead Ann Romney will do to the USA and in fact the entire
world,including Ireland,if they ever get into the White House...Weird Willard Mitt
and Ann Romney and their bloody dancing &
prancing dressage horse make me feel very
ashamed to be an Irish-American living in
the USA. Scary to even think of even the
idea of a President & Commander in Chief
of the US Military Willard Mittens Romney
with his hand on the Red Phone and launch
codes for US Nukes as well.
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seanomelb | Jul 28, 2012, 10:05 PM EDT
Britain and its recession can't afford the Olympics'.It's the best thing they've had since the demise of the Empire and the running of Belphagor out of Belfast (in his army uniform) with his tail between his legs.
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EphraimKibbey | Jul 28, 2012, 05:45 PM EDT
@EamonnDublin - Our group watching the ceremony had much the same take on it as you did. The part before the Parade of Athletes would have been much better understood by non-brits if it had had better naration by Meredith and Matt. We had a lot of "Oh, now I get it" moments and even more "I STILL don't get it" ones. I thought that King Arthur was inside Glastenbury Tor not the workers of the Industrial Revolution - VERY confusing! I can understand the Member of Parliment's comment - Exactly what DOES the NHS have to do with the Olympics? Was it a dig at America which is just now getting around to a shot at universal health care? We did enjoy the "Queen's" parachute entrance, fireworks and the olympic cauldron of petals.
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EphraimKibbey | Jul 28, 2012, 05:16 PM EDT
@ProudCanadian - To paraphrase: There are none so blind as those who will not see WHAT IS IN THEIR OWN BEST INTEREST! By the way, the group we had over to watch the opening ceremonies ALL agreed that the Canadian athletes' outfits beat the American "Made in China," "I'm going yachting now," Polo emblazened ones. I liked ours at Calgary (a GREAT Olympics, by the way) much better. Berets, REALLY? Where are our Stetsons?
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eiriamach | Jul 28, 2012, 04:59 PM EDT
Eamonn, my rule of thumb, not to be found in any grammar book, is "Avoid the verb or preposition that goes 'klunk' at the end of your sentence." I guess that's like your 'fork squeaking on a plate.' But as your sentence demonstrates, sometimes it's perfectly fine to end with "is." (Again!)
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irishpjk | Jul 28, 2012, 04:05 PM EDT
wtf All Mitt Romney had to do on this trip to impress me was, not apologize to Europe for saving them from themselves twice, or being the country that rose to heights they all hope to achieve someday, leave all the butt kissing to the man in the white house today he is good at it. What Europeans don’t know about Obama is this when he gets what he wants he won’t still love them in the morning.
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EamonnDublin | Jul 28, 2012, 02:02 PM EDT
Hello Eiriamach, Yep, sort of! She sort of gets on my wires and I was just having a go - totally uncalled for! However, as you will know, to end a sentence with "is", whilst not necessarily grammatically incorrect, reads awkwardly - and to me it's like a fork squeaking on a plate, it sends me ballistic. You see, I have little to bother me - that's why I read some of this stuff, in order that I get the adrenalin flowing and start raging. So, that's what it is, so it is. Begorrah!! Best Wishes, Éamonn.
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