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Subscribe to RSSAs mentioned earlier, Mitt Romney today delivered a foreign-policy/national-security speech that largely criticized President Obama.
"I will not surrender America’s role in the world," Romney said at the end of the speech. "This is very simple: If you do not want America to be the strongest nation on Earth, I am not your president. You have that president today."
Yet the Obama re-election campaign countered with this observation: Romney never once identified defeating al Qaeda as a goal in his speech.
Indeed, the principles Romney laid out in his speech were:
-- conducting foreign policy "with clarity and resolve."
-- promoting open markets, freedom, and human rights
-- using America's power (both hard and soft) to influence world events
-- work with multinational organization but also lead them.
And the actions he said he would take:
-- increase military spending on the Navy and missile defense
-- order the regular presence of U.S. aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean to deter Iran
-- promote economic opportunity in Latin America
-- order a full review of transitioning Afghanistan's security to its own people
-- and bolster alliances with Israel and Great Britain.
But none of the principles or actions involved al Qaeda. In fact, Romney never mentioned those words in his speech, although he did refer once to "Islamic fundamentalism" and another time to "Islamic Jihadists."
Said Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt:
"Gov. Romney raised real questions about his capacity to lead this country and wage the fight against terrorism. He didn't outline a strategy to strengthen America's security and promote our interests and didn't even identify defeating al Qaeda as a goal. President Obama has degraded al Qaeda and dealt huge blows to its leadership, including eliminating Osama Bin Laden, ended the war in Iraq, promoted our security in Afghanistan while winding down our commitment in a responsible way and strengthened American leadership around the world. Governor Romney proves once again that he is willing to say anything, regardless of the facts, to get elected."
*** UPDATE *** Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul notes that Romney's white paper, which accompanies today's speech, contains this section about al Qaeda:
"Our mission in Afghanistan is to eliminate al Qaeda from the region and degrade the Taliban and other insurgent groups to the point where they are not existential threats to the Afghan government and do not destabilize Pakistan, with its stock of nuclear weapons. Our objective is to ensure that Afghanistan will never again become a launching pad for terror and to send a message to any other nation that would harbor terrorists with designs on the American homeland."
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With thanks to The Obama Diary:
Eight of the last nine recessions have been under Republican presidents. Democratic presidents create 2 times as many jobs per year as Republican presidents. Republican presidents’ deficits are 3 times higher than Democrats’ and 2 times higher as a percent of GDP. The economy grows 41% faster under Democratic presidents and businesses invest 3 times as much under Democratic presidents. Those are revealing statistics.
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/10/07/what-you-can-do-for-your-country-occupy-together/
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People in this country don't know Romney? haha.
That's because he's never done anything worthwhile for our Nation. And won't.
Ever. He's all about the rich.
People didn't know Obama either. What did he do before POTUS?
Obama is not poor, so what is your point?
ITM
He's not poor; but he's most definitely 'self made',...right?
Just like Mittens. Doh. Well, not quite.
I told yall the Pres would twist the poltroon Mittens like a PRETZEL! And the debates haven't even started yet. Common now connies put your ankles behind your ears and get ready to rumble!
ITM: No comparison.
Romney supposedly "saved" the Olympics. Romney's father was famous. Romney was Gov. of MA. He ran against Ted Kennedy. He gave the Nation healthcare.
His foreign policy speech was a joke. He's got the same losers giving him advice as got us into this mess.
haha.
Who is Mitt Romney?
I like that one, it should be on the Romney bumper sticker. Thanks Pat.
Unfortunately Americans have a short memory in general, maybe part of the instant gratification thing, but more likely due to the low-information voter thing. Teapublicans in particular have selective memories or just rewrite history to their liking.
The thread about Cantor calling the Occupy Wall Street movement a "mob" as in torches and pitchforks, and Heman Cain--okay get this--trying to start a right-wing conspiracy theory that the movement has been planned and orchestrated by Democrats, are desperate responses that don't surprise me. But such responses, especially Cain's, should send up a red flag even for conservatives.
Unlike the GOP/TP delusions, the real cause for the Occupy Wall Street movement is a factual, documented problem of growing disparity due to economic inequality. Excerpts from Why The Rich Are Getting Richer:
…This is what the political scientists Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson call the "winner-take-all economy." It is not a picture of a healthy society. Such a level of economic inequality, not seen in the United States since the eve of the Great Depression, bespeaks a political economy in which the financial rewards are increasingly concentrated among a tiny elite and whose risks are borne by an increasingly exposed and unprotected middle class. Income inequality in the United States is higher than in any other advanced industrial democracy and by conventional measures comparable to that in countries such as Ghana, Nicaragua, and Turkmenistan. It breeds political polarization, mistrust, and resentment between the haves and the have-nots and tends to distort the workings of a democratic political system in which money increasingly confers political voice and power.
…Increasing inequality in the United States has long been attributed to unstoppable market forces. In fact, as Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson show, it is the direct result of congressional policies that have consciously -- and sometimes inadvertently -- skewed the playing field toward the rich.
ROBERT C. LIEBERMAN is Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs at Columbia University and the author of Shifting the Color Line: Race and the American Welfare State.
The skewed playing field (or class warfare on the working class) that favors the rich is the direct result of congressional policies!
Currently the problems in Europe could easily tip the fragile US economy back into a recession. The Teapublicans will NOT cooperate toward any preventative measures, nor are they presenting any solutions of their own. Pass the jobs bill or throw the uncompromising obstructionist Teapublican anarchists out!
I suppose you think that wasn't deliberate. As the years 2001 through 2008 clearly demonstrated, Republicans have no vested interest -- indeed, no interest at all -- in defeating Al Qaeda.
Fear ... check.
Bogeyman ... check.
Military industrial complex ... check.
Endless war ... check.
Be careful what you wish for. Some uninformed people might see that as positive and vote for him.
Lord knows there are plenty of uninformed people out there.
Pat:
The point I was making is NO POLITICIAN in D.C. nor that have aspirations of serving in D.C. is poor. They are ALL rich.
From what I hear, Kennedy beat him because of a third party.
If his policy is a joke; I guess you have the credentials to judge what is a serious policy. None of those people are losers that are advising him. They all have served in some of the highest positions in government and to top it off, their rich too. I take you have served in government at the highest level to be able to make these ASSumptions.
You really think Joe Biden is rich?
With thanks to the Gallup poll-
Obama's approval level has fallen to a new low-38%.
Let's follow the logic, shall we?
The more he campaigns, the lower his approval level falls.
The lower his approval level falls, the more petulant he gets- and the more prone to temper tantrums.
The more petulant he gets, the lower his approval level falls.
By next November, he may not vote for himself.
IntheMiddle, TX
People didn't know Obama either. What did he do before POTUS?
Obama is not poor, so what is your point?
How ironic? They knew he was palling around with terrorist. NOT
They knew what he did; but they lied.
His bold legislative work on the Illinois Death Penalty, and how he made a difference between life and death:
http://www.icadp.org/page236.html
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/12/obama.death.pena... /
His sponsorship of a bill that brought health insurance to 150,000, including 70,000 uninsured Children, again, during his time serving in the Illinois Statehouse:
http://factcheck.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/12/14/f...
http://mediamatters.org/items/200712170003
His work on both the Immigration bill during his time in the US senate and his sponsorship of Ethics legislation (something he did both while in the State House, and in the Senate) that called for some of the most impactful reform regarding lobbyists since Watergate (as he likes to term it):
http://factcheck.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/12/14/f...
http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/releases/07/01/200...
Here's a chart of many of his accomplishments during his 8 years in the Illinois state house -
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4578207
Reading is fundamental.
BTW: What has HurriCAIN done? I know he was head of a Ferdral Reserve bank which many decry.
"The more he campaigns, the lower his approval level falls."
Then, why on earth do you get on here daily, and rag on him for being on the campaign stump?
Sometimes, I think you just like to complain and whine to hear yourself complain and whine.
Sorry, those links are outdated, IntheMiddle, TX; try this one
http://www.huliq.com/41519/barack-obama-to-change-death-penalty-law
Police interrogation law showed Obama's skill in Illinois senate
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2008/03/27/31759/police-interrogation-law-showed.html
the push was to make police tape every step of an investigation as soon as they identified someone as a suspect. Cops hated that.
That is significant since the number of Blacks; particularly men, serving prison time are there due to beatings and force coercion
Notice in the article...Nonetheless, Obama's record in the Illinois Senate (1996-2004) shows that he often was able to bring together opposing forces in one room, emerge with agreement and enact legislation.
Perhaps working both sides of the aisle seduced our President that he could work with this crop of Republican. But, they are different they are bigots and puppets of the John Birch scions, the Koch brothers.
Me? I'm doing the job the professional journalists on this site are not doing.
Just this week, two different articles on two different polls, (ABC/WaPo, and Quinnipiac). Long articles- pointed out all kinds of stuff about Perry, Romney, and Cain.
No mention that Obama's approval had fallen to new lows in both. No mention that his reelect numbers had fallen to new lows in both.
When have you ever read an article on LightSquared on this site? The Obama administration is putting the military and air travelers in danger- to say nothing of screwing up the driving public, including truck drivers who get goods to merchants, increasing their costs, which get passed on to you- and suborning perjury from two witnesses before congress in order to facilitate a boon for another major donor.
You should know about that, but you only read this site, Media Matters, and think progress, so you won't.
That's where I come in.
Look at it this way- stuck in your own little world, when Obama loses in a landslide, without my updates, you'll never see it coming.
With me on the job, you can start petitioning MSNBC now to give Obama his own show.
It's a tough job, but someone needs to do it.
Keep them Pennies a comeing for the Poll Dancer. At this point in 2007, Hillary & Rudy were shoein's, with both of'em up around 30 points on thier nearest competitor.
Where are they Now, NJNB?
Whoopsy! lol
If President Obama stays on the current course - al Qaeda may be obliterated by the time Mittens loses the election!
Not a big fan of Romney, but have heard him speak on al qaeda on many occations. It is a given now that they are included in almost everthing to do with security. At least Romney has the balls to call them Islamic terrorist. Think they are pinning here.
Oh he'll SAY anything; sadly, he won't MEAN any of it.
This is a soulless man. Pretending to care, pretending to be one of the people. Poser.
"...soulless..."
Nice, Clara.
I can't wait 'til Libs R Us really gets rolling.
Okay, I'll ask the question...
If Romney wants to increase spending on the Navy and missle defense where will he get the money?
Where all right wingers do when in power - the Chinese VISA card!
Oh where oh where are the usual suspects. You know the connie posters.....Can you hear the chicken hawks squawking? Bwaaaaack...Romney good....Obama bad!!!!!
Da Noid
I sure have the answers to ya questions.
1 cut medicare or scrap it.
2 cut education
3 scrap that fraud of a SS
4 lay off govt. workers
That's the "elephant in the room" question, Da Noid. Since Reagan started it, the amount of money spent on the military industrial complex has exploded.
What they GOPers don't understand is that a country can have the strongest military possible and be a weakling. Think North Korea. It's people starve while the Government spents huge amounts on their military. If a nation fails to invest in itself, in its economy, in its people--all the military might in the world cannot save it from being weak.
In his final State of the Union, Dwight D. Eisenhower warned of the dangers of spending too much on the military industrial complex. "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signified in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." Eisenhower did not mean that we should not be prepared or that no money should be spent on the military, he simply meant that we should do other things as well.
Seriously Pen, if you check the math behind your ideas, we still come up short. We're spending half of our federal revenue on the military now. If you increase the funding while laying off workers, you are only exasberating the problem we now face. So are you o.k. with that?
Jody--the Soviet Union also fell afoul of the same idea of putting all its money into military while the people starved--and it wound up falling too!
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
More Mitt! More Mitt!...
MB-
You must be in FR heaven today!
I'm loving it, df.
Report any left-wing anti-Mormon bigotry immediately.
'Cause, I assure you...it's on its way to First Read.
Mixed Bag
I'm loving it, df.
Report any left-wing anti-Mormon bigotry immediately.
'Cause, I assure you...it's on its way to First Read.
Link please on FR from any lefty here mocking Mormons; Bag Boy
Where oh where did the bag boy go - there's two new threads dedicated solely to anti-Mormon bigotry and he's no where to be found...
Guess it didn't work out quite the way he predicted... lol
MB_
Can I also report Right wing Bigotry?...you see, there's this other thread on FR...
[Where oh where did the bag boy go...]
Um...church...? Oh, I know...to find a thread on Solyndra...
While he's away...you wanted an update on Solyndra?
It's hardly in the news at all but I'll try to find something...
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Obama Fundraiser Pushed Solyndra Deal From Inside
An elite Obama fundraiser hired to help oversee the administration's energy loan program pushed and prodded career Department of Energy officials to move faster in approving a loan guarantee for Solyndra, even as his wife's law firm was representing the California solar company, according to internal emails made public late Friday.
"How hard is this? What is he waiting for?" wrote Steven J. Spinner, a high-tech consultant and energy investor who raised at least $500,000 for the candidate before being appointed to a key job helping oversee the energy loan guarantee program. "I have OVP [the Office of the Vice President] and WH [the White House] breathing down my neck on this."
Many of the emails were written just days after Spinner accepted a three-page ethics agreement in which he pledged he would "not participate in any discussion regarding any application involving [his wife's law firm] Wilson [Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati]."
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/obama-fundraiser-pushed-solyndra-deal-inside/story?id=14691618
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Amid Solyndra controversy, head of federal loan program resigns
The head of the Energy Department’s embattled loan program announced Thursday that he was stepping down amid an expanding probe of the agency’s $535 million loan to a now-shuttered solar company.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/jonathan-silver-head-of-doe-loan-guarantee-program-to-step-down/2011/10/06/gIQAzQmlQL_story.html?hpid=z1
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Yeah there's definitely NO story there, I don't know why anyone would be concerned.
Let's see, from And that's the way it is: Romney gave voters a clue as to who he really is this week. "I'm in politics after all. The truth only goes so far." Romney's nose grew about another inch with every word he spoke. Complete nonsense.
--conducting foreign policy with clarity and resolve. Pres Obama has fought Bush's War on Terror better than Bush did. Some 25 Al Qaeda leaders are gone including Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki; he is winding down Bush's Iraq war; he is trying to finish Bush's Afghanistan war; he is trying to negotiate a peace settlement between Israel and Palestinian leaders which Bush neglected for 8 years, etc etc etc.
--promoting open markets, freedom and human rights. Code words from Mitt for let shipping jobs overseas continue hurting our own freedom and the human rights of those displaced American workers.
--using America's power (both hard and soft) to influence world events. Let's see, Libya and Egypt "soft" power. Pres Obama took steps to make the area off the coast of Somalia safer for shipping by ordering more military vessels into the region, "hard" power. Score, set, match for Obama.
--work with multi-national organizations but also lead them. Libya no-fly zone, sanctions against Iran (convinced Russia to support) to name a couple. More points for Obama.
In my opinion, Romney is the worse kind of politician because he does not know what he really believes and supports; he lacks the courage of his convictions. He is shallow. I would say that even if I was still a republican. It is one thing for a politician to preach to the choir, it is another when they do not believe what they are preaching.
Jody----there are some candidates who run for President and you aren't sure why they want to be President and you aren't even sure they know why they want to be President. Romney strikes me as one of those.
Does Romney identify his foreign policy advisory team? Who are these people?
Herman Cain is wost of all for refusing to name the economic/financial advisers who helped him come up with the 9-9-9 tax plan. No one can make heads or tails of this nonsense.
Vet these candidates, please! I'm talking to you FAUX Noise, they are your candidates and you'd do well to peel the onions in your Party who want to be the leader of the free world--for you, your families, and the country's sake.
TruePatriot-445959
Does Romney identify his foreign policy advisory team? Who are these people?
Herman Cain is wost of all for refusing to name the economic/financial advisers who helped him come up with the 9-9-9 tax plan. No one can make heads or tails of this noWnsense
Well, HurriCaine's dad told him to stay out of trouble. Maybe it's Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS; probably funded by the Koch brothers and Iran
In new bombshell story, "Bloomberg Markets" reveals that Koch Industries sold petrochemical equipment to Iran and paid bribes in six countries
http://politicalgates.blogspot.com/2011/10/in-new-bombshell-story-bloomberg.html#disqus_thread
Watching all this from Rural Kentucky, i'd say Mitt thinks he has this Republican Nomination in the Bag. A Foreign Policy Speech some 90 days before the 1st VOTE is cast?
Tricky Ricky Perry best be gittin on the Bull & Rideing into save America from the Mittens!
LMAO!
Feisty, President Obama's Foreign Policy credentials have taken the GOP by Surprise, that is'nt even gonna be in the Picture. Chicken George/Darth Cheney are looking Now & seeing that this Muslim,Socialist, Marxist loveing President is Not to be Messed with. They wish they coulda done just some of what President Obama has accomplished in Foreign Policy.
Mubarak Gone:( Zero $)
Gadaffi Gone: ( 1 Billion compared to 3-5 Trillion for Saddam)
Bin Laden:(Sleep's with the Fishies)
Al-Laki:(Blown to Smifferenes(thats for you DriveBy)
All that needs to be done now is for the Domestic Policy to be taken care of!
You Betcha!
Dagnabbit, i'ma gonna miss the Alaskan Wild-DingBat & the Carnival Barkers(formerly known as the MSM) chaseing her, just to getta Wiff of the Phermones of a PoleCat!
I read the speech. It strikes me that Romney is laying out a long-range rather than short-range plan. He speaks of a "century" and of how "grandchildren will view our actions".
Romney has spoken about Al Qaeda before but to focus on them now would be to focus on immediate threats rather than laying out a broader vision for America's role in the 21st Century.
I think LeBolt and Team Obama are reaching here for something to criticize. Obama has reacted to foreign policy issues rather than devising a strategy that drives events. Their criticism of Romney exemplifies their midset of only looking a year or so down the road. A leader stronger than Obama would have a plan that would last well beyond his administration and I see that as what Romney is beginning to outline.
JDB
This president has tripled the drone strikes on terrorists..and most importantly been very selective about the use of American assets..especially where Libya is concerned. Isn't it about time our European Allies spent more money on their own defense rather the the American taxpayer? And what about the republican complaint about 'dithering?" You can't have it both ways. Right?
Why do we need a defense strategy of "driving events"? We are supposed to be concerned about defending our nation from attacks from other ones, or from terrorists -- once we start going on the offensive and chasing people who haven't done anything to us, once we start "pre-emptive" policies, we become the bullies and the aggressors and we are the ones everyone else tries to contain.
You aren't paying attention. He is working hard to end the war in Iraq and is winding down Aghganistan. Al Quaida is on the ropes. He is working on trade agreements in a number of countries. He has been working hard in China for the same thing. I am wondering what you are looking for. Romney obviously feels the future is all about more military adventures like the ones we are suffering for now. This is a man who will look out for his wealthy friends and himself, and I can't trust him. The war profiteers are cheering his every word.
I disagree with the assumption that President Obama is only looking at the short term. It is the mindset of the GOP that took us to Iraq; that took us into Afghanistan without ever considering the long-term impact on the region let alone the impact on our military and our treasure. Romney's advisors are the same ones who provided that short-sighted wisdom. Working toward peace between Israel and Palestine is not a short-term goal, it has long-term impact on the entire region. It seems to me that Romney is providing the same kind of talk that we always hear from the right. There's nothing new in what he said--nothing regardless of whether it sounds long term or short term.
President Obama is a strong leader and he has proved it over and over. Just because conservatives do not like the policies doesn't detract from the accomplishments. The USA's standing in the world has improved greatly since President Obama took office. We are again respected because he does try to establish multi-national concensus, he listens to all sides and he has had great success getting that consensus in months rather than years.
Jody, I agree that the USA's standing in the world has improved in the area of foreign policy, but we are the laughingstock of the world in the area of economic policy and effectiveness in governing. They look at our congress and the dynamic between the people, the congress and the executive, and thank God that they don't live in America.
Any sitting President would love the debate to turn to foreign policy. Funny thing is, the only candidate with any kind of foreign policy credentials (other than President Obama) is Jon Huntsman.
I can't wait to see Huntsman's foreign policy.
Interesting team would be Ron Paul/Jon Huntsman.
It's tough to go up agianst obamas years of foreign policy. He has had so many and been so successful.
If the debate is based solely on foreign policy, there isn't a Republican who can come close to President Obama.
While he did not close Gitmo (Congress actually forbid any funds being used to transfer any prisoners) most of his foreign policy actions have been successful.
Personally, I like Ron Paul's approach: bring all the troops home and don't give any US $$$ to anyone.
Romney needs to talk to some security experts. He continues to ignore our military who has been saying Pakistan has been involved in helping the Taliban attack the U.S. military in Afghanistan.
Every time Romney thinks he is the leading Republican candidate he does something stupid like this.
Perry and everyone who has been in the military has a duty to expose Romney for his ignorance.
All politicans in essence are liars. Mitt "the pit" Romney just happens to be quite possibly to biggest one of all. But don't look now, Herman Cain is gaining fast!
Romney didn't address the leadership role the president has played: Romney is trying to paint President Obama as weak to combat the leadership Obama has shown as he authorized the taking out of extremist like Osama Bin Ladin as well as authorizing assistance to the European Union to help remove Moammar Khaddafy while passing the great legislation in last Congress. The president authorized the number two leader of Al Qaeda, Atiyah abd al-Rahman, to be killed on August 22 in Pakistan, a senior U.S. official said. There have been 3 or 4 more high level hits authorized to cut the head off of this scourge to the Middle East! Leadership is the president's! Unmanned drones are used more often to exact retribution for the damages done to our country and service personnel! And the Health Care Act! Republican Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona said Thursday that despite opposition from legislators from within her own party, she's seeking money from the federal government to implement a key part of the health care overhaul she opposes in order to prepare her state in case the law is upheld.