The Ugly American

[AUChizad]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179582/Mitt-Romneys-Olympics-2012-gaffe-Devoid-charm-offensive-wazzock.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

 

[Tarheel]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179582/Mitt-Romneys-Olympics-2012-gaffe-Devoid-charm-offensive-wazzock.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

 

Gov. Romney, having actually run the successful Olympic Games in Utah, is uniquely qualified to actually answer the question that was posited to him however having said that I must agree with Charles Krauthamer's criticism in that he should have given the short, polite answer of 'Yes, London is ready.' and said nothing more.

Of course, that's a setup too if anything actually does go wrong.

Let's trust that his visit to Poland and Israel goes un-eventful.

[AUChizad]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57482099-503544/palestinian-official-criticizes-romneys-comments-as-racist/

Palestinian official criticizes Romney's comments as 'racist'

By Jonathan Miller, Sarah Huisenga

(CBS News) A top aide to the Palestinian president on Monday called comments Mitt Romney made extolling Israeli culture "racist," the Associated Press reported.

Romney, at a donor event in Israel Monday, mused on why some countries were more successful than others, and at one point appeared to connect Israeli culture with economic progress and gross domestic product and made a comparison to less prosperous areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority.

"And you look at Israel and you say you have a hard time suggesting that all of the natural resources on the land could account for all the accomplishment of the people here," Romney said.

"... If you can learn anything from the economic history of the world, it's this: Culture makes all the difference," he said, adding that his thinking was influenced by his reading of the book The Wealth and Poverty of Nations. "And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things," he said.

Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, rebuked Romney. "It is a racist statement and this man doesn't realize that the Palestinian economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation," he told AP.

"It seems to me this man (Romney) lacks information, knowledge, vision and understanding of this region and its people," Erekat said, adding, "He also lacks knowledge about the Israelis themselves. I have not heard any Israeli official speak about cultural superiority."

Romney sampaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said in a statement to the AP, "His comments were grossly mischaracterized."

The campaign contends Romney's comparison of income disparities among neighboring countries was broader that just Israel and Palestine. In a transcript of his remarks, Romney indeed mentions the United States and Mexico, and Chile and Ecuador. He said that when he was in business as the head of Bain Capital, "I would travel to different countries to understand why there were such enormous disparities in the economic success of various countries."

Here is the transcript, as provided by the Romney campaign:

    "I was thinking this morning as I prepared to come into this room of a discussion I had across the country in the United States about my perceptions about differences between countries. And as you come here and you see the GDP per capita for instance in Israel which is about 21,000 dollars and you compare that with the GDP per capita just across the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority which is more like 10,000 dollars per capita you notice a dramatic, stark difference in economic vitality. And that is also between other countries that are near or next to each other. Chile and Ecuador, Mexico and the United States. I noted that part of my interest when I used to be in the world of business is I would travel to different countries was to understand why there were such enormous disparities in the economic success of various countries. I read a number of books on the topic. One, that is widely acclaimed, is by someone named Jared Diamond called 'Guns, Germs and Steel,' which basically says the physical characteristics of the land account for the differences in the success of the people that live there. There is iron ore on the land and so forth. And you look at Israel and you say you have a hard time suggesting that all of the natural resources on the land could account for all the accomplishment of the people here. And likewise other nations that are next door to each other have very similar, in some cases, geographic elements. But then there was a book written by a former Harvard professor named 'The Wealth and Poverty of Nations.' And in this book Dr. Landes describes differences that have existed--particularly among the great civilizations that grew and why they grew and why they became great and those that declined and why they declined. And after about 500 pages of this lifelong analysis--this had been his study for his entire life--and he's in his early 70s at this point, he says this, he says, if you could learn anything from the economic history of the world it's this: culture makes all the difference. Culture makes all the difference. And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things. One, I recognize the hand of providence in selecting this place. I'm told in a Sunday school class I attended-- I think my son Tagg was teaching the class. He's not here. I look around to see. Of course he's not here. He was in London. He taught a class in which he was describing the concern on the part of some of the Jews that left Egypt to come to the promised land, that in the promised land was down the River Nile, that would provide the essential water they had enjoyed in Egypt. They came here recognizing that they must be relied upon, themselves and the arm of God to provide rain from the sky. And this therefore represented a sign of faith and a show of faith to come here. That this is a people that has long recognized the purpose in this place and in their lives that is greater than themselves and their own particular interests, but a purpose of accomplishment and caring and building and serving. There's also something very unusual about the people of this place. And Dan Senor-- And Dan, I saw him this morning, I don't know where he is, he's probably out twisting someone's arm--There's Dan Senor, co-author of 'Start-up Nation,' described-- If you haven't read the book, you really should-- Described why it is Israel is the leading nation for start-ups in the world. And why businesses one after the other tend to start up in this place. And he goes through some of the cultural elements that have led Israel to become a nation that has begun so many businesses and so many enterprises and that is becomes so successful."

http://world.time.com/2012/07/31/after-gaffe-filled-foreign-tour-europe-asks-is-mitt-romney-a-loser/

After Gaffe-Filled Foreign Tour, Europe Asks: ‘Is Mitt Romney a Loser?’

Mitt Romney’s trip to Europe and Israel may not have been a complete disaster. Yet it was close enough to a risible calamity that the presumptive Republican candidate has to be glad it’s over — and dreaming of returning to American turf and topics less likely to blow up in his face like a loaded cigar.

How bad was it? Washington Post editorialist Eugene Robinson called the voyage the “Romney Tour ’12 — Gaffepalooza.” French newsweekly Le Nouvel Observateur described it as having lurched “from failures to polemics.” Outraged over his second-guessing of London’s Olympic preparations, U.K. tabloid the Sun dubbed Romney “Mitt the Twit.” And French daily Le Figaro — a militantly partisan supporter of conservatives no matter where they hail from — on Tuesday ran a blog post with the headline, “Is Mitt Romney a Loser?”

Given all that, it’s probably fair to say the journey didn’t quite fulfill Romney’s hopes of solidifying his bona fides as an international statesman. Instead, it seemed that no one wanted to miss out on the “Kick-a-Mitt” media action taking place as his tour wound up on Tuesday. In fact, all that was missing from that coverage was another entertaining Gail Collins question about whether Romney’s dog might have been strapped to the roof of his plane.

In all fairness to Romney, his trip represented a no-win prospect from the outset. In making it, he had almost nothing to gain and seemingly much to lose. In crossing the Atlantic, Romney struck out into countries whose political and cultural views are starkly different from his own and whose citizens still generally view U.S. President Barack Obama as a hero. Romney also entered the vortex of a global media cyclone that’s just as ravenous for gotcha headlines as any he has braved in the U.S. And stumble he did, right from the get-go.

As detailed by our Swampland colleague Alex Altman here, Romney hit European ground with a thud by making comments suggesting that he didn’t feel London was prepared to host the Summer Olympics. He may have well declared, “Let the kicking begin.” Once the media tempest over that gaffe calmed, Romney found himself attacked for being “racist and out of touch” by Palestinian leaders following remarks he made in Israel.

Then on Tuesday, he sought to close his tour in Poland — and preen Reagan-era feathers — by meeting Solidarity leaders who helped topple communist rule. But Romney wound up being rebuked by the union’s current leadership. Far from the warm endorsement he got from iconic Solidarity co-founder Lech Walesa, Solidarity itself issued a statement criticizing Romney and the GOP for their offensive against collective-bargaining agreements in several states that it called “attacks on trade unions and employees’ rights.” So much for being buddies with the world’s most avidly anticommunist, pro-market, pro-American labor union.

And just when things didn’t look like they could get worse for Team Romney on that final Polish leg — they did. Questioned by the press pool about the controversies that have plagued the trip, Romney’s traveling press secretary Rick Gorka reportedly shot back with orders to “kiss my ass … Show some respect.” Gorka was then said to have instructed a journalist to “shove it.”

Maybe the trip was a disaster after all.

U.S. political expert and professor emeritus at Paris Sorbonne University, André Kaspi, notes that trips abroad by American presidential candidates have become as routine as they are ultimately futile in affecting the outcome of races. “These trips ultimately change nothing in the thinking of Europeans greeting these candidates, nor — more importantly — for American voters who cast ballots based almost exclusively on domestic issue,” says Kaspi, whose French book Barack Obama: The Great Disillusion will be published in September.

“In going to London, Romney sought to resurrect his own successes with the Salt Lake City Games — a way of managing his own storytelling,” Kaspi continues. “In going to Israel and Poland, he sought to make a statement to American Jews and Catholics that he’s close to people and topics important to them. The potential of any of that actually altering presidential voting in November was so small to begin with that any damage done from this trip is equally insignificant.”

So too is the terrible impression Romney made in European minds during the trip. Kaspi says Romney likely struck Europeans who paid attention to his visit as a successful and astonishingly rich businessman with little concern for less affluent people. The other commonly known parts of his bio: that Romney’s a devout member of the Mormon faith who once banged on doors as a missionary in France.

“Neither of those things are viewed positively here,” Kaspi says. “Neither is the view that his policies will basically revisit those of the last Bush Administration — which is still considered in the darkest of terms here. So Romney starts off with a negative reputation in European eyes, which view Obama in a very positive manner anyway. How can gaffes make all that worse for Romney — and how are his chances undermined if they are? Europeans don’t count in American elections!”

[GH2001]

I don't think his "gaffes" on the surface were that bad really. But he should have known better and also known that the media would run with this. All he had to do was shake hands and smile and get the hell out of there.

I think I am starting to regret him being the nominee.    We had a chance to put a savvy economic mind up there, whether it be Newt, Cain or Paul.....and we blew it.

[CCTAU]

SO the great one made great impression on the the rest of the world and has been a suckass president. Maybe if the rest of the world does not like the man running for president of OUR country, that man may just be the right choice.

[AUChizad]

I don't think his "gaffes" on the surface were that bad really. But he should have known better and also known that the media would run with this. All he had to do was shake hands and smile and get the hell out of there.

I think I am starting to regret him being the nominee.    We had a chance to put a savvy economic mind up there, whether it be Newt, Cain or Paul.....and we blew it.

Newt and Paul, yes.

Cain? Hindsight is 20/20, and if he was the man now I guarantee you there would be 10 times the gaffes, and you'd be longing for the great economic mind of Mitt Romney.

[GH2001]

Newt and Paul, yes.

Cain? Hindsight is 20/20, and if he was the man now I guarantee you there would be 10 times the gaffes, and you'd be longing for the great economic mind of Mitt Romney.

I admit Cain is a bit of a novice in this realm. He would have had to steer clear of trap interviews and gotchas. Not sure if he would have or not. Palin fell into a lot of those traps being a rookie on the national level. Newt and Paul would be ripping Obama apart on the economy.

Keep in mind I didn't vote for Mitt. I went into the Primary vote debating between Paul and Newt as my mind has been on the economy mainly in this election. I knew Mitt would have a rough go at it with Obama and his team. I said months ago that Axelrod would eat him alive. I hope I am wrong but I just don't have faith in Mitt having the nut satchel to win this thing and say all the right lines.

[Tarheel]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57482099-503544/palestinian-official-criticizes-romneys-comments-as-racist/


http://world.time.com/2012/07/31/after-gaffe-filled-foreign-tour-europe-asks-is-mitt-romney-a-loser/

I would expect the Palestinians to criticize Romney's remark and characterize it as "racist" but the truth is that the Israelis have built an economy out of nothing where-as the Palestinians and their Hamas and Hezbollah friends have wrecked Gaza and Lebanon.  Romney spoke truth to ignorance and I'd expect cBS (as you cited) to call it a gaffe because that's what they want it to be so that's how they and all of their media friends are going to spin it.  I like how they call his trip "gaffe filled"; complete leftist spin and anyone with a lick of sense would see it for what it is.  (By the bye, every time I think about the plight of the Palestinians I remember seeing them dancing in the streets when WE were attacked on 9/11...).  Anyway, with the exception of the Olympic remark, I thought his trip was great, his speeches were great (you probably didn't listen to any of them), he renewed a good friendship with BeBe in Israel and renewed a good friendship with the People of Poland and Eastern Europe who The ONE turned his back on.

[GH2001]

I would expect the Palestinians to criticize Romney's remark and characterize it as "racist" but the truth is that the Israelis have built an economy out of nothing where-as the Palestinians and their Hamas and Hezbollah friends have wrecked Gaza and Lebanon.  Romney spoke truth to ignorance and I'd expect cBS (as you cited) to call it a gaffe because that's what they want it to be so that's how they and all of their media friends are going to spin it.  I like how they call his trip "gaffe filled"; complete leftist spin and anyone with a lick of sense would see it for what it is.  (By the bye, every time I think about the plight of the Palestinians I remember seeing them dancing in the streets when WE were attacked on 9/11...).  Anyway, with the exception of the Olympic remark, I thought his trip was great, his speeches were great (you probably didn't listen to any of them), he renewed a good friendship with BeBe in Israel and renewed a good friendship with the People of Poland and Eastern Europe who The ONE turned his back on.

Thanks for typing it so I wouldn't have to.

They were basically minor gaffes turned into huge mistakes by our lovely MSM. Sensationalizing 24/7!

[Tarheel]

Thanks for typing it so I wouldn't have to.

They were basically minor gaffes turned into huge mistakes by our lovely MSM. Sensationalizing 24/7!

Exactly.

Newt and Paul, yes.

Cain? Hindsight is 20/20, and if he was the man now I guarantee you there would be 10 times the gaffes, and you'd be longing for the great economic mind of Mitt Romney.

Newt perhaps.  Paul is way too isolationist; that economic view is extremely myopic in this age of global trade.

[GH2001]

Exactly.

Newt perhaps.  Paul is way too isolationist; that economic view is extremely myopic in this age of global trade.

Personal issues aside, there probably hasn't been a more brilliant economic mind running for President than Newt the last 3 elections at least. When I reference Ron Paul, I talk strictly from an economic perspective. He does tend to oversimplify things sometimes, but I like his views on the Tenth Amendment, Income Taxes and establishing a real dollar worth something.

[Tarheel]

Speaking of "Ugly American"...

In 3rd party candidates, Obama team sees promise

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press – 7 hours ago
1 Aug 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party and Virgil Goode of the Constitution Party are on quixotic runs for the presidency. While they are long shots, they conceivably stand a chance at influencing the election.

Until recently both were Republican officeholders — Johnson as a two-term governor of New Mexico and Goode as a congressman from Virginia. With their ability to draw at least a sliver of the electorate, President Barack Obama's political team sees them as potentially unwilling allies who could steal votes from rival Mitt Romney and help the president to victory in a few tightly contested states.

Goode served six terms in the House and is gathering signatures to appear on the ballot in his home state {Virginia...which is a very critical swing state}. He's already on the ballot in more than a dozen other states with an anti-immigration, pro-term limit platform he hopes makes a dent with the electorate. It's not likely to be much of a dent, but could be enough in Virginia for Obama campaign officials to take close notice.

Johnson, who ran for president as a Republican last year before dropping out ahead of the primaries, is seen as a potential factor in Western states, particularly in closely fought Colorado.

Neither of these candidates is considered enough of a national threat to draw comparisons to Ross Perot, whose independent campaign in 1992 attracted nearly 19 percent of the vote and whom President George H.W. Bush still blames for costing him his re-election.

Instead, Democrats see Goode and Johnson as this year's Ralph Nader, whom they still blame for Al Gore's loss to George W. Bush in 2000. Nader's liberal Green Party candidacy only attracted 2.7 percent of the national vote, but in decisive Florida, his total was greater than the 537 votes that separated Bush from Gore.

Despite that history, in most modern elections, third-party candidates haven't swayed the results, and even those who poll strongly early in the campaign eventually fizzle.

Still, in a national contest like this year's in which Obama holds slight leads or is running virtually even with Romney in key battleground states, even a sliver of the vote in a crucial state could determine the outcome. Obama's team has scenarios whereby Obama can win states like Virginia and Colorado with less than 50 percent of the vote thanks to an assist from Goode and Johnson, respectively.
...

Johnson, for one, doesn't mind the attention that comes with being seen as a potential spoiler.
...

Source:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hgv0_dwSY1CydQmLzdW0_QvBVKXg?docId=c07906493a9e4d60a2b265341a72b1fd

[Tarheel]

Personal issues aside, there probably hasn't been a more brilliant economic mind running for President than Newt the last 3 elections at least. When I reference Ron Paul, I talk strictly from an economic perspective. He does tend to oversimplify things sometimes, but I like his views on the Tenth Amendment, Income Taxes and establishing a real dollar worth something.

I don't mean to be completely dismissive of Ron Paul; he does have some good ideas to strengthen the dollar and I must give him credit for trying to effect some positive change within the Republican Party rather than running third party.

[GH2001]

This has happened twice before. 1992 and 1912.

1912 was a huge fiasco in which Taft was denied the election when Teddy ran on 3rd party thus ensuring Wilson the election. He was pushed to run by the dems who basically poked a stick at him making him mad by reminding him that Taft was the GOP nominee, not him. Perot was urged by the Dems in much the same way in 1992 but on a lesser scale.

[Kaos]

I didn't see anything he said in any of that shit that was out of line.  Seems to me more a case of haters looking for things to use against him. 

As far as I'm concerned I don't give half a fuck in a plate of spaghetti what European assholes think of him.  They love Obama -- and he loves them back enough to mimic their failed policies.  Where has that gotten us?

[dallaswareagle]

I didn't see anything he said in any of that shit that was out of line.  Seems to me more a case of haters looking for things to use against him. 

As far as I'm concerned I don't give half a fuck in a plate of spaghetti what European assholes think of him.  They love Obama -- and he loves them back enough to mimic their failed policies.  Where has that gotten us?

Down a shitastic road that most folks don’t see.