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Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks [W:156,W:236]

Craven political attack or accurate criticism?

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danarhea

danarhea

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—As details about the attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions in Egypt and Libya began to emerge, Mitt Romney wasted no time in hammering the president, calling the Obama administration's early response "disgraceful."
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You call it. Was this an accurate criticism of Obama's response to the attacks, or was it craven political opportunism?

Article is here.
 
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Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

The initial response was pathetic but something tells me this poll is going to divide itself perfectly along party lines
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

What ever happened to public political divisions over foreign policy stopped at the waters edge?
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

haymarket said:
What ever happened to public political divisions over foreign policy stopped at the waters edge?
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I think that died somewhere around 1968. But democrats should be commended for their restraint during the Iraq war....
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

I don't have any problem with Romney's comments. I do believe that the President's response, or more truthfully non-response to the attacks in Libya and Egypt is very telling and not in keeping with the best interests of this nation. To allow our embassies to be attacked, and in fact have an Ambassador and three members of his staff KILLED in the process is not acceptable on any level. Something should have been done. We can argue WHAT, but something needed to be done. Nothing was. That shows a vast void in the leadership of this country so far as I'm concerned.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

I think Charles Krauthammer sums it up pretty well:

 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

IMO, I'm not sure the attack against Obama was warranted, given the limited information I have. Did the Egyptian Embassy's statement come straight from the administration, or was it from embassy officials on their own? I think that matters, considering Egypt is not entirely stable and careful wording would be paramount to ensuring that officials in Egypt remain as safe as is possible.

That said, if the statement came from the administration I would view it as a failure. The embassy shouldn't be their mouthpiece in an unstable region, especially immediately following American deaths at the hands of radical extremists. Any administration-sanctioned responses should have come straight from the White House, either via the Press Secretary, an official published statement, or Obama himself.

But...given what I know (which is admittedly limited)...I think it was probably a bit of opportunistic miscalculation for Romney.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

tessaesque said:
IMO, I'm not sure the attack against Obama was warranted, given the limited information I have. Did the Egyptian Embassy's statement come straight from the administration, or was it from embassy officials on their own? I think that matters, considering Egypt is not entirely stable and careful wording would be paramount to ensuring that officials in Egypt remain as safe as is possible.

That said, if the statement came from the administration I would view it as a failure. The embassy shouldn't be their mouthpiece in an unstable region, especially immediately following American deaths at the hands of radical extremists. Any administration-sanctioned responses should have come straight from the White House, either via the Press Secretary, an official published statement, or Obama himself.

But...given what I know (which is admittedly limited)...I think it was probably a bit of opportunistic miscalculation for Romney.
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Just found out that the statement, which was given by embassy officials, condemning religious intolerance, was made BEFORE the attacks were carried out, and seems to be an attempt to defuse the situation before the violence could get out of hand. And, of course, it failed. Based on that, I find no fault with the Obama administration here.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

It's a craven political attack, obviously. The President has a duty to protect our citizens serving overseas, and his response condemned the attacks, without condemning the muslim faith, which could spur further attacks. Let me note, that GWB also did this after 9/11 and throughout his presidency. I don't see how anyone could see anything wrong with his statements unless they were looking for something to be critical.

What Romney said is nothing more than a cheap political attack, that has no regards in protecting Americans overseas, and I would hope that if he were President he would act differently, but I don't know.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

danarhea said:
You call it. Was this an accurate criticism of Obama's response to the attacks, or was it craven political opportunism?

Article is here.
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It was a horrible move and even his own side is being critical of him for doing so.

And then this..

Timeline: The Romney Campaign's Odd Response to the Embassy Protests

If the time line is true, then Romney really stepped in it.

Not only did he criticize Obama for a statement that Obama had not approved, given out by the Cairo embassy.... BEFORE the protests started and the attack happened, but he is continuing to be critical based on this statement. It is beyond boneheaded to not only be critical of your government in the time of crisis, but releasing those statements on 9/11... he could have waited 1 and half hours for the clock to hit 00:01, but no...Even John Sununu said it was dumb in this article...

Romney Campaign Denies Acting Rashly on Libyan Situation - NationalJournal.com

This one will come to bite Romney in the ass.

With pictures like this on Twitter and negative comments from GOPers...... sorry out of touch is too kind.

https://twitter.com/CharlesDharapak/status/245893711257563136/photo/1
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

There is nothing Obama could have said that would have left no room for manufactured outrage.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

The state dept apologized for hurting the feelings of muslims. Basically they condoned the attacks because we hurt their feelings by allowing free speech.

It is so ridiculous it is hardly worthy of discussion. What an incompetent administration! They back the wrong guys in Egypt and Syria and then apologize for pissing them off, and at the same time stand up Netanyahu.

It really makes me wonder about Obama's real agenda.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

Furiounova said:
There is nothing Obama could have said that would have left no room for manufactured outrage.
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He could have said that the US will find and kill the people who did this. Why didn't he say that?
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

Bobcat said:
The state dept apologized for hurting the feelings of muslims. Basically they condoned the attacks because we hurt their feelings by allowing free speech.

It is so ridiculous it is hardly worthy of discussion. What an incompetent administration! They back the wrong guys in Egypt and Syria and then apologize for pissing them off, and at the same time stand up Netanyahu.

It really makes me wonder about Obama's real agenda.
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The State Department did no so such thing. The Cairo Embassy released the statement without the knowledge of the State Department or White House....BEFORE they were attacked.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

Bobcat said:
He could have said that the US will find and kill the people who did this. Why didn't he say that?
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Like I said.....
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

danarhea said:
You call it. Was this an accurate criticism of Obama's response to the attacks, or was it craven political opportunism?

Article is here.
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Really not seeing anything too out of line with the remarks of either Obama or Romney. No lines crossed. Nothing outrageous.

Am viewing the topic as more a case of creating a story rather than being a story.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

Cole said:
Really not seeing anything too out of line with the remarks of either Obama or Romney. No lines crossed. Nothing outrageous.

Am viewing the topic as more a case of creating a story rather than being a story.
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What would be the Wall Street Journal's motive for creating a story?
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

PeteEU said:
The State Department did no so such thing. The Cairo Embassy released the statement without the knowledge of the State Department or White House....BEFORE they were attacked.
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Who do our embassies report to? The State Department. When an embassy issues a statement they are speaking for the State dept ---and the entire US govt. If they screwed up then lets discuss that, but to claim that they do not speak for the country is simply wrong.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

Furiounova said:
Like I said.....
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you said nothing, Obama has yet to condemn the people who murdered our people. It was not a random act of a small group of radicals, as more comes out it becomes clear that it was a coordinated attack.

And the obama admins response is to blame the US or some film maker. Its just more incompetence from obama---------or maybe its something else.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

Bobcat said:
Who do our embassies report to? The State Department. When an embassy issues a statement they are speaking for the State dept ---and the entire US govt. If they screwed up then lets discuss that, but to claim that they do not speak for the country is simply wrong.
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Okay, we still have the fact that the prior statement was released before the attacks took place. The second statement condemned the attacks.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

danarhea said:
You call it. Was this an accurate criticism of Obama's response to the attacks, or was it craven political opportunism?

Article is here.
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Technically, Romney is a private citizen expressing his free speech rights. I know there were many people on many different occasions publicly second guessing Bush when he was President.

I thought Romney looked very Presidential today during that press conference. As far as people criticizing Romney, he would have been attacked either way...if he didn't say anything that would have been held against him too. So I say go for it Romney, be bold and pro-active.
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

zstep18 said:
Okay, we still have the fact that the prior statement was released before the attacks took place. The second statement condemned the attacks.
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Now, the question becomes, what will obama do about it.?
 
Re: Romney Slams Obama Over Embassy Attacks

Grim17 said:
I think Charles Krauthammer sums it up pretty well:

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Easy for him to say, "go to hell" sitting in a TV studio in the States.

I wonder if he would have a different opinion if he were sitting inside the American embassy in Egypt? I think he would.
 
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