E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSHILTON HEAD, S.C. -- Appearing on stage with Mitt Romney for the first time since endorsing him for president, former UN Ambassador John Bolton on Friday night unleashed a scathing indictment of President Barack Obama, whom he said "doesn't care" about national security in the same way other presidents had before him.
"He’s not only the most radical president in history domestically, he is the first president, Republican or Democrat, at least since Franklin Roosevelt, who didn’t get up every morning thinking first about what threats the United States faces," Bolton said. "He just doesn’t care about national security the way other presidents did. He’s much more interested in moving us toward a social Democratic health care system, a social Democratic automobile manufacturing system, a social Democratic environment, you get the picture."
Romney campaign officials did not immediately respond when asked if the former Massachusetts governor agreed with that assessment.
Bolton also trivialized the biggest national security event to have taken place during Obama's administration, the raid that killed Osama bin Laden last May, saying Obama did not deserve credit for the successful mission.
"You know the irony is he’s campaigning on the basis that he’s a success as a foreign policy president," Bolton said. "It’s just really amazing and you ask, What is it that made the success? And it’s because Navy SEAL Team Six killed Osama bin Laden. That’s his definition of success. As somebody pointed out, in 1969 when Americans landed on the moon, it’s like Richard Nixon taking for credit for that, because it happened to occur during his presidency."
Romney himself told Fox News in December that "any president" would have signed the order to take out bin Laden, a statement he later expanded upon in an interview with NBC's Chuck Todd, giving Obama some credit for being the person to ultimately have done so.
"I give credit to this president for actually having made the decision. I don't think it's unusual on the part of this president to have finally taken out Osama bin laden," Romney said. "After all, we had been looking for him for some time. Intelligence finally gave him a good indication of where he was. He gave the order. I do think prior presidents would have done the same thing had they been in the same position."
At Romney's campaign event here tonight, a forum for veterans, with a national security focus, Bolton also said Obama was a "failure across the board" on foreign policy and had hurt America's interests abroad, along with those of our allies.
"This president has done almost everything possible to weaken the United States, to jeopardize our interests and our friends around the world," Bolton said.
Bolton is a controversial former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and undersecretary of state for arms control under George W. Bush. He had been back in the news recently after former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said in December that, if elected president, he would ask the prominent neoconservative to be his secretary of state.
But Bolton endorsed Romney on Wednesday night, an event a senior Romney adviser told NBC News that the campaign hoped would be a signal to undecided Republicans that Romney was the strongest candidate in the field on the subject of foreign policy. Friday night, in explaining his decision to endorse, Bolton praised Romney as the "one person in the race today" whom voters could count on to protect the American people.
Leave a Comment:
NO, this "Mandar-lookin"sum'bitch DID NOT say that Obama's foreign policy was a failure!!!!!!
This is too damn funny, CONSIDERING the fact that ANYONE from the GOP/TP side of the fence would talk @!$%# AFTER THE FACT!!!!
Let's see...hmmm...
McCain stated that he was naive when Obama said that if there was enough intelligence leading to OBL in Pakistan that he would go in AND KILL HIM!!!!
SCRATCH THAT OFF THE LIST!!!
Right-wing pundits AND GOP/TPers on Capitol Hill stated that he was foolish for having such a light-handed approach to Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya when the citizens of those respective countries OVERTHREW the governing regimes.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? NOT LIKING THE FACT THAT NOT ONE BOOT WAS ON THE GROUND OVER THERE, THAT YOU COULDN'T GET A NO-BID CONTRACT TO BUILD A BASE, THAT THE ROUTE HE WENT WAS CHEAPER ON THE TAXPAYER?
When Somali Pirates hijacked that freighter, he ordered the Navy to put a permanent end to the matter, which resulted in four of them being killed, AND one that's serving a life sentence...IN A U.S PRISON!!!!
As for Anwar Al-Awlaki: THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OF HIM...well, not enough of him that would fit inside an ashtray after the Predator strike that President Obama ordered on him in Yemen.
YEPPERS, THAT "NO-NONSENSE" policy of his is a dismal failure with successes like these!!!!
[Romney endorser Bolton: Obama a foreign policy 'failure across the board']
Besides the seriousness of this out and out lie, there are those that are actually brainwashed enough to believe this... And that is the scary part.
There are any number of out-and-out lies voters will be basing their decision on come November.
...would anyone like to join me in prayer (or perhaps, a ritual sacrifice!) for the wayward minds of the dumber portion of the country? :p
Romney is so full of crap ...he says he is so concerned about the poor as " Malibu Mitt "goes to his 12 MILLION DOLLAR PLUS LaJolla beach house ... yeah i believe this crap !
As a non-American I will just say that the Obama administration and its foreign policy has garnered a new found respect for the US that was squandered by the Bush years. A return of Bolton would reverse that.
Romney is finally focusing on the real issue here. Obama's failure as a leader... both domestically and internationally!
Sure Obama has the rhetoric down pat. And he occassionally has a good idea... but his record proves that he not very good at getting the job done.
The biggest fear the majority of Americans have in a recent Rasmussen poll is the fear of an Obama second term! The candidates need to quit slamming each other and focus how they can reverse Obama's damage!
Kevin seems to be high on the 'wacko' scale and weak on the facts! Sure glad he's 'on the other side', lmao!
Bolton was the troll responsible for misleading us on WMDs in Iraq. He's responsible for the death of over 4000 US kids. 4000 kids! Bolton, the great waster of talent, the great waster of our future. Who knows what those kids could've done, or what kind of stars they would have become.
You know what we should do with trolls like him? Arrest him and send him to jail. Warmongers like him ruin our future by wasting our talent.
A vote for either Romney (whom Bolton endorses) or Gingrich (who would appoint Bolton to an office) is a vote for war.
x
The only reason Obama had to give the order personally is that he was found in Pakistan, if he had been found in Afghanistan, the Sergeant in charge would have given the order if one was needed.
What is really interesting in the article, is that McCain and Obama were arguing over it during their campaigns two and a half years prior, and the fact that it ACTUALLY turned out that way.
Kinda leads me to the speculation that they knew where OBL was all along, and the reason for killing him was something other than military necessity. (like a political stunt)
So Obama knew where Bin laden was but Bush didn't. Yeah, that makes a ton of sense.
I think what Egilman is saying is that McCain knew where OBL was & finally told President Obama the whereabouts.At least thats what McCain said back in 2008!
I'm sure Mitt is gonna get all the disgruntled Bush voters by them lineing up to Back'em.
ROFLMAO@
Occupy SoggyBottom!
And Romney said he was going to let this guy (Bolton) back in at the United Nations. You have to be kidding me. My God, why don't we bring Bush out of retirement.
Haven't you heard they have been wanting to bring Jeb Bush out and run him now for president. But I think they already have their Bush clone in Romney as he has hired most of the Bush advisers especially the economic ones. You would think that Bush left our country in good condition instead of free-fall off the cliff with all the republican push to return to the good old Bush days.
But in the republican mind it is Obama who has failed because he can't bring this country back quick enough from where Bush left us, as the republicans whine, while obstructing his every move.
If just the bush tax cuts were allowed to expire the deficit would be paid off by 2026 but Romney wants to make the tax cuts permanent. So it seems the 1% (Romney) cares more for his personal tax cuts than he cares for America and how the deficit could destroy our future.
Speaking of the 1%, Romney only hides his tax returns because he has something to hide. It seems it is so bad it would make him unelectable. You republicans can sure pick them.
Think about it, what matters most to you, our country or protecting the 1%?
If you decide country you will be voting a straight Democratic ticket this next election.
Pay down the debt with Republicrats? pshh! If they eliminated the Bush tax cuts the money would probably go towards drone bombing Muslims and foreign aid.
Don't forget Congressional pay-raises and benefits plans for retired members~
I would like a full explanation of how Obama's foreign policy is so disasterous. From all I've heard from all the GOP candidates (except for Paul) is that Mubarak was our 'friend' and Libya should have been toppled quicker. At the same time Saleh is granted medical attention in the US, Saudi Arabia suppresses Bahraini dissent, and there hasn't been any new evidence about any Iran plan for nuclear weaponization since 2003 but that reality doesn't get any attention. What is the 'right' way to handle this GOP establishment and WHY? Please...
Ron Paul, with plenty of evidence to support, decimates any argument that this spasmatic wack-em-all scheme does nothing but make us a bigger target.
RON PAUL 2012!
I don't trust Ron Paul like in his anti-war stance. The last time he had an opportunity to vote to put a timetable to end the war in Iraq, the first vote he didn't bother and the second vote he voted with the republicans to continue the war with no end in sight. The measure actually did pass and Bush vetoed it. As one who stated his view is against war, I would have to question his vote. Wouldn't you?
Then he claims he is for the people, well for the people he voted not to increase the minimum wage. That is a vote for corporations not for the people. Enough other congress people cared and it did pass but no thanks to Ron Paul. Another vote I would have to question. How about you?
Don't kid yourself, Ron Paul is only in it for himself and the 1%. When they privatize Medicare just what corporation gets to make millions while denying care to the people?
He is just like every other republican except he has a couple of not so crazy ideals he knows he could never get through congress that appeals to young people. He is like buying a skunk because he looks so handsome in the brochure that only plays up his good points while you are not realizing the whole picture and the bad side effects.
1. Vote to prolong Iraq via timetable: NO
Stand firm and alone on staying out of Iraq to begin with: YES
2. They raise minimum wage and the 'corporations' make others suffer; like suppressing wages in foreign factories (http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-06-03/news/30003110_1_minimum-wage-haitians-garment-workers) and 'the people' themselves by greater exploitation of wealth secrecy jurisdictions and more lobbying fees to expand new and/or existing loopholes that raise the price of their goods anyway. You can't stop inflation by throwing money at it.
3. Paul isn't even advocating immediate Medicare elimination; read up, its a proposed phase out plan only when we're all on a better financial footing (probably beyond attainable in four years).
If you honestly paid attention its clear to see he is far from "every other" republicrat. I empathize with the occupy members but I don't see a wealth redistribution coming any time soon. What do you want?
They claimed Obama was a different breed from every other Beltway politician, too. The realities of the President's job being what they are, no matter who winds up in office at the end of this year they're going to have to change to fit the position - not vice versa.
You don't have to go from seemingly honest to signing controversial bills "reluctantly" and allowing further bailouts on national holidays; that just comes off as deceitful. They can have a backbone, explain in detail and with reason how they make the controversial decisions the way they do. "They" are crawling on First Read and they still can't accept Obama is 90% unapologetically a phony.
Romney and Obama are on different sides of the same Totem Pole as are most Democrats and Republicans. In public it appears that they are against each other but in private they are laughing at us.
Vote for Obama or Romney if you want to be a slave in the New World Order. In the NWO we the people will lose all of our rights of freedom as citizens and become subjects (SLAVES).
Get back, get back, get back to where we once belonged...the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Get Back America
Nominate Dr Ron Paul for President of the United States of America 2012
Why? You don't have to want to go back to 1787, to believe in the value of Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. You just don't like the way the Constitution has been interpreted by the Supreme Court.
Did Bolton serve in the military?
Cheney/Bush got Bolton out of an insane asylum, then made a recess appointment to appoint him to the UN. And now the tea people GOP republicans want to go back to that kind of leadership. WOW how uninformed are these people.
Romney is so full of crap ...he says he is so concerned about the poor as " Malibu Mitt "goes to his 12 MILLION DOLLAR PLUS LaJolla beach house ... yeah i believe this crap !
Bolten is a neo-con. Say no more...say no more.
And, being a "social democrat" means you spend more time trying to figure out a way to pay for social security and medicare than trying to get rid of them.
Anyone that believes anything Newt Romney says needs to have their brain removed. How can someone who was born with a golden spoon up his butt ever know how the average American lives. It is easy to worry about a pink slip when your daddy's a billionaire. Knowing that the bills will get paid whether you have a job or not must be real easy for Romney. And any middle class American that think Romney gives a damn about them is drinking too much koolaid.
Bolton starts the engines in the charge against Obama that they used against Kerry too.Its name is FEAR and these neocons and repubs are past masters at using it--Cheney? Rice? Rummy? --ringing any bells yet? We will lose to them again if we don't remember the past. We can be smarter. We just need to be willing to become informed.
No wonder conservatives are so gung ho about John Bolton! Who needs translators when they guy's got ESP?
This guy is truly scary. Women, hide your children. Bolton wants to send them off to war.
From Wikipedia:
"Bolton supported the Vietnam War and enlisted in the Maryland Army National Guard, but did not serve in Vietnam. He wrote in his Yale 25th reunion book "I confess I had no desire to die in a Southeast Asian rice paddy. I considered the war in Vietnam already lost."[15] In an interview, Bolton discussed his comment in the reunion book, explaining that he decided to avoid service in Vietnam because "by the time I was about to graduate in 1970, it was clear to me that opponents of the Vietnam War had made it certain we could not prevail, and that I had no great interest in going there to have Teddy Kennedy give it back to the people I might die to take it away from."[16][17]
Does that mean he would have refrained from leaving the boat on Omaha Beach?
And...note...the story is filed from Hilton Head. Hahahaha. I think all of that is otherwise referred to as "class warfare," meaning: "It's the OTHER class that actually FIGHTS our wars. We just give the orders."
I guess John Bolton should know what he is talking about when it comes to Foreign Policy failures. I am assuming he has mirrors in his residence. It must be tough having to look at that face knowing you are responsible for the deaths of so many Americans.
John Bolton, neocon clown, one of many, from the Bush era, comically calls out Obama, the man who got Bin Laden, for his foreign policy?
One thing Obama has done is take away the mantle of foreign policy from the gop. The stereotype of democrats being weak on foreign policy is forever stomped on.
The gop, who hoped to use this tried and true bashing against the democrats and Obama this election season has had that taken away. Those, like Bolton, who try to use it come off as comical
you liberal crack me up! you spout how much damage Bush did when he had more to deal
with the your anti american president! he's a laughing stock! why is it now every country is
threatening the US and more and more countries hate the US? Nobody takes this joker seriously!
Bush and the Navy Seals got bin laden! he's cutting dfence for his own socialist agenda to have
more money to waste on his liberal programs! he's a big union big governement spending liberal!
4 more years of this and there will be no more america and you'll be sorry you ever believed in
this socialist utopia where obombo is your dictator and everybody drives miracle green cars that
run on farts and fairies fly around giving away free food and clothing and housing etc...and the
world is free of terrorists and there is no sickness in the world so nobody needs free healthcare!
goodvrsevil: You have many things right but you are calling out the wrong person. Bush was the laughing stock and the reason we are not liked. Some history facts are available on google or the library. check it out