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

Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Obama and Clinton attack on Romney on Bin Laden a master stroke? Forcing Romney, GOP, onto back foot on issue of terrorism, defense

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Obama and Clinton attack on Romney on Bin Laden a master stroke? Forcing Romney, GOP, onto back foot on issue of terrorism, defense

Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 10:02 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

6 Comments

RSS

Archives

Barack Obama certainly has the gloves off after the new advertisement questioning Mitt Romney on whether he would have gone after Osama Bin Laden.

It is a classic judo trick to use your opponent’s perceived strength against him.

Republicans did it brilliantly when they questioned John Kerry’s war hero status back in 2004 against George Bush.

Now the Democrats are taking one of the GOP’s perceived strengths, tough on defense and terrorism, and using it against Romney.

It is based on a Romney statement in 2007 when he essentially stated it was a waste of money chasing after Bin Laden.

The fact that the Obama camp rolled out Bill Clinton to make the attack shows how important a move it is. Only Clinton or another living ex-president can make the compelling argument about how lonely it is at the top.

-----------------------
Read more:

Irish parish priest admits he deleted gay porn images from computer

Bill Maher defends his name-calling of Sarah Palin, insists it’s different from Rush Limbaugh’s

-----------------------

Indeed, Clinton quotes George W. Bush approvingly on his remark that the president is the “decider in chief."

Clinton raises the question about Romney is ready brilliantly in the ad.

He asks what the consequences for Obama would have been if he had not made the call or had got it wrong.

Actually, we all know. Jimmy Carter’s failed rescue attempt of the US hostages in Iran was the final nail in his race against Ronald Reagan.

By moving so quickly to blunt a usual GOP advantage, Obama has shown he will be ruthless and direct in this campaign.

It will be interesting to see Romney’s response.

Here is the ad:

E-mail

6 Comments

See all comments

Pecos Kid | Jul 30, 2012, 08:11 PM EDT

Damn, kaydag said it all. Also, the "Mesiah" was talked out of going after Bin Laden 3 different times by one of his "Lady" staffers. Hell he could't even make this obvious decision on his own. This man is not a leader. Leaders do let others make their decisions for them. They also don't whine and blame everything on their predecessor. Whether its true or not.

Report abuse

connemaragirl | Jul 01, 2012, 01:13 AM EDT

I stand by what I said, whatever that was, who said that ? been there did that not again please people.

Report abuse

McNamara31 | Jun 01, 2012, 11:00 AM EDT

kaydog1....After the Bush administration’s ill thought out “shock and unpaid awe” this president moved forward with a planned strategy including drones to eliminates the greatest amount of Al Qaeda (including Bin Laden) worldwide with the least amount of losses to American troops. There’s a distinct difference between working with brains, and working with the GOP style of empty rhetoric and photo ops on aircraft carriers declaring victory.

Report abuse

kaydog1 | May 03, 2012, 01:23 PM EDT

Any red-blooded American President would be expected to jump at the chance to authorize an attack on Osama Bin Laden. Romney is quoted speaking about the priority leval of the hunt, not about ignoring the opportunity if Bin Laden was found. I'm actually rather surprised that Obama would raise the "hesitation" issue at all, since Obama admits "agonizing" over the decision for a full 36 hours before finally authorizing the mission that Leon Panetta and Hillary Clinton ALREADY had in motion. Obama DEFINITELY hesitated to go after Bin Laden. but now suggests as a campaign gambit that Romney MIGHT have hesitated! It is also ironic that Obama trotted out Bill Clinton to attack Romney for alleged future failure to act - according to CIA testimony before Congress, Clinton had two opportunities while President, to target Osama Bin Laden, and each time refused to authorize a strike. This left Bin Laden free to plan the 2000 USS Cole attack as well as the various Embassey bombings he later set up, as well as the attack on the World Trade Center. Clinton is the LAST person I would have expected to see mentioning failure-to-act in connection with Bin Laden - hypocrisy much Presidents Clinton and Obama?

Report abuse

BrianO | May 01, 2012, 02:56 PM EDT

Freekazilla ,I hope you have a day job.

Report abuse

freekazilla | May 01, 2012, 08:41 AM EDT

. . .The best they got is Mitt Romney ??? . . .They come off so delirious, . . . . . .When they try to be serious, . . . . . .They can't even take a strait pee; . . . . .Nit Wit Mitt does Gordon Gekko, . . . . .Greed glorified & zombiefied; . . . . . .Swill their coolade of greed with pride, . . .Go with their clown car for a ride ???

Report abuse