Romney and WaPo see the Olympics the same way. Guess who’s the dumb one? [Reader Post]

Loading

The Washington Post had this story as its lede last night:

Mitt Romney tries to steer around Olympics controversy in London meetings

LONDON — Thursday was supposed to be the easy day, when Mitt Romney would audition as a world leader here by talking about his shared values with the heads of the United States’ friendliest ally.

Instead, the Republican presidential candidate insulted Britain as it welcomed the world for the Olympics by casting doubt on London’s readiness for the Games, which open Friday, saying that the preparations he had seen were “disconcerting” and that it is “hard to know just how well it will turn out.”

WaPo suggested Romney could have a problem:

He ended the day in a scene that could prove damaging for a candidate sometimes labeled as out of touch.

Hold this thought

Still, the hosts did not seem to appreciate a foreign visitor reminding them about the problems.

Romney said about England’s preparations:

“You know, it’s hard to know just how well it will turn out.There are a few things that were disconcerting, 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.”

Now where would Romney come up with these notions?

How about from the Washington Post?

Washington Post, July 12

What else can go wrong? Embarrassing security, traffic, phone problems for London Olympics

LONDON — With the Olympics just two weeks away, embarrassing logistical problems about security, staff, phones and traffic made the mood Thursday in London as gloomy as the weather.

British lawmakers clamored for an explanation of why the armed forces need to field more troops to protect the games, eclipsing the day that U.S. track star Michael Johnson held the Olympic flame aloft at sunrise at the ancient monument at Stonehenge.

London’s aging infrastructure kept offering up unpleasant surprises as the main road near Heathrow Airport remained closed following emergency repairs. The British mobile phone company O2, meanwhile, acknowledged that thousands of customers had been affected by outages on its network — a bad omen ahead of the first iPhone games.

And then there was the weather. Rain on and off and on again.

London’s Hyde Park — the site of outdoor concerts and other live events — has trucked in piles of wood chips to cover a muddy quagmire after the wettest June on record. Someone apparently decided that recreating Woodstock wasn’t very Olympic-friendly.

Here’s a look at the tsunami of bad news.

BRING ON THE TROOPS

British Home Secretary Theresa May confirmed that the government will deploy an additional 3,500 servicemen at the London Olympics amid concerns that a private security contractor had failed to recruit enough staff. The firm G4S had been enlisted to provide the bulk of the 13,200 private security guards across 100 Olympic venues.

British lawmakers questioned why the apparent gap in security had surfaced so late.

“G4S have let the country down and we have literally had to send in the troops,” said opposition Labour Party lawmaker Keith Vaz, demanding to know when the issue was first identified and if G4S — which has millions in contracts from the British government — will suffer any financial penalties.

The move brings the total number of armed forces staff at the games to 17,000, dwarfing the 9,500 troops Britain has in Afghanistan.

The massive Olympic security operation also will feature 12,000 police, 3,000 volunteers, Typhoon fighter jets, helicopters, two warships and bomb disposal experts.

WELCOME TO BRITAIN: THE LINE FORMS HERE

The British media has been full of bad news lately about the queue, that long line at passport control while entering the island nation.

Those lines have been blamed on everything from airline schedules to too much wind, but everyone is looking for a way to bring the wait down. More people than ever used London’s Heathrow Airport last year — nearly 70 million passengers —straining its traditional immigration desks.

A report from John Vine, the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, warned that border staff with only basic training and little immigration experience were being used to cut the length of the queues.

But the Home Office insists help is on the way. Starting this weekend, 500 more people will be manning those desks.

WILL YOU BE ABLE TO GET THERE FROM HERE?

London’s aging transport network continued to befuddle planners who have been working — some for years — to get the city spruced up for the games and for the hundreds of thousands of tourists expected.

The main road linking Heathrow to London and Olympic Park remained closed. The Highways Agency said repairs had reached a critical stage and would continue on a damaged overpass least until the weekend.

But the big question mark remains as to whether the entire London transport infrastructure can handle the strain. The city’s residents are accustomed to overcrowding and delays but tourists may find it shocking, said Tony Travers, a transport expert at the London School of Economics.

“At this point, we’re in the lap of the gods,” Travers said. `’The London infrastructure is always led on a wing and a prayer.”

AND THE RAIN IS A PAIN

The gloomy weather has the entire nation wondering if it will ever get sunny for longer than 15 minutes. The Met Office, Britain’s national forecaster, has insisted that the wet start to July does not necessarily mean that it will rain during the Olympics, from July 27 to Aug. 12.

“We could have some nice days,” Met spokesman Dan Williams said, somewhat hopefully, although stressing it was still too early to offer any Olympic forecasts.
“It’s understandable that people might feel gloomy, especially since we have had such a disappointing run this month,” he admitted.

SO MUCH FOR THE IPHONE OLYMPICS

The scariest development for many has been a mobile phone outage.

British mobile phone company O2 restored its 2G and 3G services after a breakdown that hit some customers for as long as 24 hours Wednesday and Thursday.
That’s not a good omen for the vast amounts of tweets and photos expected to be sent during what has been dubbed the “Twitter Games.” Those responsible for London’s fiber optic cables, phone masts and Wi-Fi hotspots are bracing for a tsunami of data.

O2 executives have said previously the company spent 50 million pounds ($79 million) on Olympic-related projects.

IS IT JUST A BAD HAIR DAY OR SHOULD LONDON PANIC?

Historians like to note that with any human endeavor, things go wrong. Martin Polley, an Olympic historian at the University of Southampton, recalled that in the 1948 London Games, organizers forgot to get a union flag for the home team to carry into the stadium. Roger Bannister, who later shattered the four-minute mile, broke into a car to get one for the parade.

So is Jacques Rogge, the head of the International Olympic Committee, worried about the spate of bad news? Absolutely not.

“It’s not peculiar for London. We’ve always had difficulties in the days leading up to the games in the previous games and the games were of an impeccable nature,” he said.

Besides, there’s still time to sort things out.

“We’re confident that everything will be fine by the opening ceremony,” Rogge said.

Here’s a screen cap

Here’s the link

WaPo

But don’t bother clicking it. They’ve sent it down the memory hole to make you forget that Mitt could have learned of all this from WaPo.

Romney knows something about the Olympics. They might want to tap into his knowledge.

Besides, it wasn’t Romney who sent NTSC DVD’s to Gordon Brown.

And he did promise to return Winston Churchill to the Oval Office.

Drudge headlines:

ROMNEY QUESTIONS IF BRITS ARE READY…

Followed by

Scrambles to placate NKorea after flag fiasco…


David Cameron joins scramble to placate North Korea after flag fiasco

I guess Romney has a point….

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
30 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

People are noticing that CNN Brit Piers Morgan defended Mitt Romney this morning.
“Because what had been happening over the last few weeks was that everyone in Britain had been complaining about the Olympics all day long–about the security, about this, about that. And actually we needed someone to blame for all this froth that we were feeling. And along comes Mitt Romney. Perfect!
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/piers-defends-everything-mitt-romney-said-was-true_649052.html

See also:
CNN host Piers Morgan shocked when he defended Romney’s comments saying that the presumptive Republican nominee was “absolutely right” to question whether the U.K. was ready for the Olympics.

Piers Morgan Defends Romney’s Olympics Comments: ‘He Was Just Speaking The Truth’

BTW, one of those almost-disasters was a ring of Pakistanis getting into Olympic Village on bogus papers for the purpose of terror attacks.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/olympics/4444496/Olympic-Games-terror-visas-racket-exposed-by-The-Sun.html
The security forces didn’t catch this.
The media did.
The Sun sent in an undercover investigator of their own who could have gotten papers for the Opening Ceremony for 7,000 pounds.
The Sun alerted MI6.

This is a very muddled argument. The Washington Post is in the business of news and reporting, so reporting on problems in London with the Olympics is what they do. We should add that it’s pretty much expected that they’d report on the Mittsters disastrous doings overseas as well. Call me naive, but regardless of the circumstances surrounding the Olympics, it seems rather impolitic for the visiting GOP candidate for President to parrot media observations, insult his hosts, and cause an international incident. And is that what you’re saying, Dr John, that Romney “came up with these notions” via the Post and decided to inexplicably parrot them? In that case, his lack of independent thought and critical judgement go a long way toward explaining what’s been by any measurement an embarrassing two days in London. Oh well, strike “diplomacy” off the shrinking list of things to attack Obama over.

But don’t bother clicking it. They’ve sent it down the memory hole to make you forget that Mitt could have learned of all this from WaPo.

By the way, Dr John, if you’re looking for the story it’s pretty easy to find. It’s also not written by a Washington Post reporter. It’s an AP story that appeared in the Washington Post. I hope that puts your mind at ease.

Not surprisingly, Obama today signs a taxpayer funded purchase of the Jewish vote which he’d been told was sliding away from him.

Call me naive, but regardless of the circumstances surrounding the Olympics, it seems rather impolitic for the visiting GOP candidate for President to parrot media observations, insult his hosts, and cause an international incident.

Yeah, he should have just apologized, bowed and invoked Bush….

@Sua Sponte:

You wouldn’t be invoking The One, would you? That’s such an unusual response in the face of futility around here.

Let me guess who’s the dumb one? Romney?

@Liberal1 (objectivity): OMG, you are soooo frickin’ funny!…Where oh where do you find the time in the day to be so witty?…If it’s not for your logical reasoning and bring forth thoughtful responses, it’s your wittiness…Bravo, bravo to you…

@Tom: Uhhh, what?

@Sua Sponte:

Exactly.

@James Raider, #4:

Do you disapprove of the provisions of the US/Israeli defense agreement, or–as with the elimination of Osama bin Laden–do you only disapprove of the President who saw the thing accomplished?

While Romney is on his international credibility tour, the President is being President.

Fox News’ Charles Krauthammer: Mitt Romney’s Olympics Gaffe Was ‘Unbelievable,’ ‘Beyond Human Understanding,’ ‘Incomprehensible’ (VIDEO)

On Thursday’s “Special Report,” Krauthammer launched into a rant about Romney’s Olympics comment. “It’s unbelievable, it’s beyond human understanding, it’s incomprehensible. I’m out of adjectives,” he lamented.

He said the purpose of Romney’s trip was merely to express solidarity with America’s British allies, and say nice things about his foreign hosts.

“All Romney has to do, say nothing,” Krauthammer said. “It’s like a guy in the 100-meter dash. All he has to do is to finish, he doesn’t have to win. And instead, he tackles the guy in the lane next to him and ends up disqualified. I don’t get it.”

Imagine if someone running for office in the UK – flew in Salt Lake City in 2002 and commented about how the Feds had to bail out the winter olympics and the bribery scandal? Would you say he or she had a point? Lol

http://www.kgw.com/home/Feds-bailed-out-Romneys-2002-Winter-Olympics-163999746.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Winter_Olympic_bid_scandal

@Tom: That’s your explination for 6, what are you talking about?…

@Greg: What a coinicidence Dear Leader (PBUH) signs the Israel bill the day before Romney visits, lamblasts Israel for how they run their country while going to every other ME country to apologize, still hasn’t been to Israel…Too funny, secondly, it wasn’t a “gutsy” call to take out the target 9/11…….What are we at, over 100 rounds of golf, 160 or so fund raisers, skips AIDS conference to fund raise, skips D-Day memorial to fund raise, bows to other leaders, world apology tour, tells citizens that regardless of what they think, they didn’t do anything on their own, passing classified information, the beer summit (really?), forcing religious groups to do the will of the government, uber restrictive ROE in AG, the multitude of other issues, yet this, the Olympics is an issue?…….Yeah, the president being president…

@Sua Sponte:

I’m talking about the Tourette’s-like affliction that renders certain individuals incapable of discussing any topic without changing the subject to the current POTUS. For example, posts 4, 5 or 15.

Krauthammer quote re Romney “All he had to do was stay quiet. Like the guy in the 100 meter dash. All he has to do is finish. He doesn’t need to win.Instead he tackles the guy in the next lane and ends up disqualified.”
Priceless, Charlie!

@Tom: It was in respose to your 15 high speed……”Tourette’s”?……You’re a classy one….

Has this post mophed into an attack from the trolls?

I watched the interviews Romney gave, and it sounded to me that he was rather eloquent AND actually understood the subject matter. He can ‘ad lib’ without sounding like a wet rodent. Yes the very brief slip-up should have been avoided, but if trolls actually listen, ACTUALLY LISTEN, you’re not listening to an idiot empty suit.

I’ve yet to get that sense when listening to Obama, and I’ve listened carefully to his speeches since he came on the scene. He is clearly incapable of Ad-libbing on any subject.

Perhaps the trolls will provide us a link to, oh, let’s say a Law Review article he wrote, since he can’t adlib.

After the London embarrassment, Mr. Romney’s campaign has barred the press from his fundraising event in Israel.

Barring the press doesn’t strike me nearly so odd as their inadvertent acknowledgement that they’re conducting a fundraising event for a U.S. presidential campaign in a foreign country to begin with.

Do they really think that won’t raise a few questions?

$60,000 per plate to attend, according to The Jerusalem Post. Non-U.S. citizens will either be denied dinner, or provided with free bag lunches . . .

The left needs a distraction from the dismal 1.5% GDP figures that came out. Another quarter like that (there is only one left before election time) coupled with a U-6 unemployment rate that is in the double digits and showing no signs of going down before the election and methinks the distractions will fail.

I’m sure republicans will do their damnedest to depress consumer confidence and try to make another quarter like that happen. Let’s recognize reality: They’ve been talking down the economy and working against the recovery ever since Obama was elected. Good economic news before the election is the last thing they want.

@Greg: Of course nothing is Obama’s fault. He could have switched places with Holmes and you would still find a reason to blame someone else. Your statement implies that the majority of us are too stupid to think for ourselves.

‘London IS ready’: Romney completes humiliating u-turn in new UK charm offensive after Olympics gaffe sees British brand him ‘Mitt the Twit’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179853/Mitt-Romney-completes-humiliating-u-turn-new-UK-charm-offensive-Olympics-gaffe.html#ixzz21yRaQGYe

However, behind the scenes officials were even more scathing about the Republican presidential hopeful, describing his visit as a ‘car crash’ and comparing him unfavourably to Sarah Palin.
Another official who met with the former Governor of Massachusetts said he was ‘apparently devoid of charm, warmth, humour or sincerity’.
Even Conservative right-wingers, who traditionally back the Republicans, expressed dismay.
MP Mark Pritchard said: ‘If he becomes President of the United States, he will perhaps be less casual in his language.’
Another Whitehall official said of Mr Romney’s remarks: ‘What a car crash. We are speechless’ – with one aide saying the candidate was ‘worse than Sarah Palin’, John McCain’s 2008 running mate who has a poor reputation in the UK.

He just did another U-turn regarding his $60,000 a plate fundraiser at the King David Hotel. The press has now been un-uninvited.

In attendance will be Sheldon Adelson.

Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson just donated $10 million to Mitt Romney’s Super PAC, and told Forbes he is willing to spend $100 million or more to ensure President Obama is not re-elected.

@Greg: He’s just playing with your guys’ minds to frustrate all of you. It appears to be working. You are going to give yourself ulcers worrying over stuff you have no control over. That fundraiser should be able to match Clooney’s fundraiser. It also looks like he has someone to help offset Soros.

Unofficial estimates suggest there are about 100,000 to 300,000 holders of US-Israeli dual nationality in Israel.
It is easy to obtain.
All you have to do is be Jewish, American and ASK for it.
Plenty of good pickins for a fundraiser.

Mitt Romney in Israel, on foreign policy.

The Olympics has its first big controversy.
The Chinese swimmers are ending their races with extremely RED lips.
Both the males and the females.
Most recently a female Chinese swimmer beat the best time of our USA team’s best swimmer in the same race distance and stroke…..she beat our MALE swimmer!
People are starting to look into it.