NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > People and Politics > Romney tells the truth in Britain and is slammed for it - British get their knickers in a twist over very little

People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

Romney tells the truth in Britain and is slammed for it - British get their knickers in a twist over very little

Posted on Sunday, July 29, 2012 at 08:21 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

71 Comments

RSS

Archives

U.S. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney meets with David Cameron at 10 Downing Street in London

A political gaffe these days is when a politician tells the truth.

Mitt Romney has shipped lots of criticism about his various comments in London while there for the Olympics. Democrats have tried to portray him as Sarah Palinesque in his inability to articulate and get basic facts wrong, but when you examine what he said was it all that bad?

Firstly his comments on British preparations for the Olympics were spot on. He was asked about Britain’s preparations for the Olympics and instead of waffling about how great they were, he pointed up some concerns.

"There are a few things that were disconcerting," Romney said. "The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials – that obviously is not something which is encouraging."

What could be wrong with that? A politician tells the truth and he was, of course, immediately slammed for it.

David Cameron huffed and puffed on Thursday.

"We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world,"

Also true but Romney was correct that there was a major security faux pas.
The other issue the British jumped on was his calling the leader of the opposition Ed Miliband 'Mr Leader.'

Again a very minor point. That is what he would have been called in America and Miliband’s title is leader of the opposition. British journalists sneered that Romney had forgotten his name but there is no compelling evidence of that.

His actual statement was "Like you, Mr Leader, I look forward to our conversations this morning," Romney said.

What is the big deal?

Next he was accused of publicizing the fact that he met the MI6 leader.

Britain loves their spooks, and the media, now in full hue and cry demanded that Romney should have kept the information secret.

Whatever for? If Romney met the head of the CIA and the Secret Service no one would think anything of it. Again score one for Romney and not the hysterical British.

This is what Romney said: "I appreciated the insights and perspectives of the leaders of the government here and the opposition here as well as the head of MI6"

Hardly the stuff of espionage thrillers.

Finally, advisors to Romney not Romney himself referred to “common Anglo Saxon heritage.” Romney got tagged with their language which many saw as a not too subtle racist slap at Obama. The unnamed advisors back pedalled but it was hardly Romney’s fault they spoke so stupidly.

Again, much ado about nothing.

Score yet another knickers in a twist moment for the Brits and a clear indication that Obama still has the hearts and undying devotion of overseas journalists.

E-mail

71 Comments

15 - 71 | See all comments

Cranleigh | Aug 18, 2012, 11:47 AM EDT

WoundedKnee, I think Romney was getting donations from American citizens in Israel. And I don't think we Irish are in any position to criticize the USA in this regard, given that so many of our richest citizens are tax exiles while still living in IRELAND for all practical purposes. It's an absurd and humiliating situation. Anyway, how ya like those Olympics now, Mitt?

Report abuse

cabocla | Aug 13, 2012, 10:57 AM EDT

How about the REAL BIG GAFFE that Obama committed in Poland, calling Poland a Holocaust Place!!!! The Liberal Media did not even mentioned that.

Report abuse

Belphagor | Jul 31, 2012, 02:38 PM EDT

KatieMurphy what planet do you live on sweetheart? Grow up and move on.

Report abuse

Sparklet | Jul 31, 2012, 02:24 PM EDT

Lol, that's true. And made me smile. (Must sort out that life insurance policy....)

Report abuse

hancock | Jul 31, 2012, 01:53 PM EDT

We already act like we've been married twenty years.

Report abuse

Sparklet | Jul 31, 2012, 01:11 PM EDT

Hancock - does this mean we're engaged? ;)

Report abuse

hancock | Jul 31, 2012, 12:40 PM EDT

I totally agree, people don't care about dictators unless the price of gas goes up.

Report abuse

Sparklet | Jul 31, 2012, 12:27 PM EDT

Hancock, on that we agree, and that's especially true today. Mugabe might have been taken out years ago if there'd be something in it for the US or the UK. Are the people of Zimbabwe less deserving of liberation than those of Iraq? Politicians are hypocrites.

Report abuse

hancock | Jul 31, 2012, 12:07 PM EDT

Whether Hitler was a threat to humanity doesn't mean that the US in 1939 were going to get involved in another bloody European war. He was same threat in 1938 I presume and England saw fit to sell the Czhechs down the river. I don't blame them by the way. When he went a step to far with Poland theY were forced to declare war due to previous pacts and to save face and potentially their empire. So save they were saving humanity routine. England , like all powerful countries, do what's best for themselves.

Report abuse

WoundedKnee | Jul 31, 2012, 11:23 AM EDT

I see that Romney has been "fund-raising" in Israel. Don't we have laws to prohibit foreigners influencing our elections?

Report abuse

Sparklet | Jul 31, 2012, 11:06 AM EDT

WW2 was a valid war, if war can ever be termed as such. These days, America is quick to involve itself in wars that are invalid - Iraq as an example. There are countless dictators around the globe. Some appear to be fair game, others not so. America and Britain are both self-serving. It's all well and fine to talk about freeing people from dictatorships, but it's actually more about oil, and what's in the interest of the USA or the UK. If there's nothing in it for them, they do nothing. Hancock talks about WW2 as though Hitler wasn't a threat to humanity.

Report abuse

Sparklet | Jul 31, 2012, 10:07 AM EDT

I rarely agree with Wounded Knee and his alter ego GeorgeDillon but I do agree with regard to the use of our military abroad. We never seem to learn from history. Vietnam was the most tragic misadventure in American history. A ten year blood and treasure sacrifice to no avail ... and yes, 58,700 young Americans (average age 19)did die for nothing, along with 2.5 million Vietnamese. Iraq ll and Afghanistan more recent misadventures lasting 9 to 10 years, thousands of young lives and trillions in cost, now being wound down by Obama. Yet the Republicans are ready for more. Next stop Syria - where we know that at least some of the opposition despise the U.S. and where a large minority of Christians, long protected by both Assad regimes, face slaughter should the regime fall, witness Egypt and Iraq. Our Republicans friends are now itching for a brawl with Iran, in support of our ally, Israel. Talk about the tail wagging the dog here! Note: Afghanistan should have been a short war. We accomplished our mission in destroying Al-Qaeda there but then, alas, "mission creep" crept in - as it does everywhere we go. We never learn.

Report abuse

hancock | Jul 31, 2012, 09:49 AM EDT

The question of Scottish independence is a slow drift away from union. Regional assembly, Devo max, eventually it will happen. Sooner than many of you think. I t may come from the English, who rightly or wrongly don't aprreciate what they perceive as the ungrateful people from the north. As far as the U.S. in WW2, why should they have gotten involved in another bloody European war, esspecially when the country was vastly against it. You're lucky their neutrality was in name only and they were supporting you with the civilian and war material you needed to survive.

Report abuse

Sparklet | Jul 31, 2012, 04:21 AM EDT

So Britain need the help of the US during WW2? I'm not sure what the point is here. Has anyone looked at the size of the UK compared to Germany? Instead of crowing about the US having to wade in and help them out, shouldn't they have been in from the start, or is fighting dictators just a new fad? I'm not an Anglophile and I don't hate Americans, but I know enough about WW2 to know that Hitler was a nutjob who had to be stopped. I despise English history in Ireland, despise the fact that they allowed the gerrymandering and inequality to thrive in NI. But I'm an optimist. I believe in reunification and think it will happen, but peacefully. Enough people have died, and reading the hate ridden diatribes on here is sickening, especially when they're obviously made by people who don't have a clue about the feelings of the majority, either in the 26 or the 6.

Report abuse

SAirish | Jul 31, 2012, 03:15 AM EDT

Hancock's posting that soon the Scots will be independent is typical of his limited knowledge. Opinion polls in Scotland held recently indicate 32% to 35% of people in favor of independence. Yes, there are two years to go before the referendum, but if the SNP does not gain ground within the next year it stands no chance of winning. Alex Salmond of the SNP has been the First Minister for 5 years, but support for independence has stood at a third for the last 40 years. When the SNP stood at the Scottish regional elections, independence was hardly mentioned because it was a vote looser. People voted for the SNP because it was perceived to be a better party for regional government. An article in the Guardian Newspaper recently revealed that the leaders of the SNP are privately disapointed that they have not gained any ground.

Report abuse