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Subscribe to RSSBloomberg View columnist William Cohan and Democratic strategist Julian Epstein discuss why Mitt Romney is still fumbling for answers over his 2011 tax return – despite their Friday release – and whether he’ll ever be able to explain how he pays for his proposed, across-the-board tax cuts.
DENVER -- Mitt Romney today attempted to shift focus to what he called President Barack Obama's lack of leadership in the Middle East, as world leaders began to gather in New York City for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly.
The Romney campaign this afternoon offered a series of interviews with major U.S. TV networks, in which Romney hammered Obama for referring to a series of flare-ups in the Middle East as "bumps in the road."
In Colorado, Mitt Romney insisted to NBC News that he'll win. The Obama campaign, meanwhile, has unveiled a new TV ad tying Romney's tax returns with his comments about the 47 percent. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
"When the president was speaking about 'bumps in the road' he was talking about the developments in the Middle East, and that includes an assassination. It includes a Muslim Brotherhood individual becoming president of Egypt. It includes Syria being in tumult," Romney told NBC's Peter Alexander. "It includes Iran being on the cusp of nuclear capability. It includes Pakistan being in commotion."
Mitt Romney will stump in Colorado on Monday and then travel to Ohio via bus tour all ahead of next week's first debate. The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd reports.
Romney continued, "There are extraordinary events going on in the Middle East, and considering those events, either one of them or all of them collectively, as bumps in the road shows a person who has a very different perspective about world affairs than the perspective I have. I think this is a time for America to exert leadership and this is not something that we are doing in the Middle East ... ."
Romney was referring to an answer Obama gave in an interview which aired last night on CBS News' "60 Minutes," in which the president defended his support for emerging governments in the Middle East as a result of the Arab spring.
Charles Dharapak / AP
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney boards his plane in Denver, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012.
Kroft: Have the events that took place in the Middle East, the recent events in the Middle East given you any pause about your support for the governments that have come to power following the Arab Spring?
Obama: Well, I'd said even at the time that this is going to be a rocky path. The question presumes that somehow we could have stopped this wave of change. I think it was absolutely the right thing for us to do to align ourselves with democracy, universal rights, a notion that people have to be able to participate in their own governance. But I was pretty certain and continue to be pretty certain that there are going to be bumps in the road because, you know, in a lot of these places, the one organizing principle has been Islam. The one part of society that hasn't been controlled completely by the government. There are strains of extremism, and anti-Americanism, and anti-Western sentiment. And, you know, can be tapped into by demagogues. There will probably be some times where we bump up against some of these countries and have strong disagreements, but I do think that over the long term we are more likely to get a Middle East and North Africa that is more peaceful, more prosperous and more aligned with our interests.
The Romney campaign seized on those comments -- in an attempt to chip away at the president's approval rating on foreign affairs, which slid in the last NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll to 49 percent.
(However, a series of NBC/WSJ/Marist polls in the battleground states of Colorado, Iowa, and Wisconsin show Obama enjoying a double-digit lead over Romney when it comes to who would better handle foreign policy.)
NBC's Peter Alexander spoke with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Denver about the upcoming debates, world affairs, and if it is possible to change the tone in Washington.
The Obama White House fired back on Romney, arguing that it was "offensive" to suggest that the president was minimizing the deaths of four Americans in Libya, including the U.S. ambassador there.
"That assertion is both desperate and offensive," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. "The president was referring to the transformations in the region, to this process that has -- only began less than two years ago, as we saw in Tunisia, and continues to this day, with remarkable transformations occurring in countries around the region."
Also in the interview, NBC's Alexander pressed Romney on the current polling that shows him trailing Obama.
Romney remained defiant.
"I'm very pleased with the fact that we have a campaign that is taking our message to the people across America, and look --- we're gonna win," Romney said. "There is no question in my mind. We're gonna win."
NBC's Jordan Frasier contributed to this article.
Leave a Comment:
Obama has made some unfortunate statements that could be milked by the Romney team. But this particular statement and the one made a few days ago (change happens from outside Washington, not inside--almost the exact same words spoken once by Romney himself) were taken completely out of context by Romney, unlike Romney's huge monster-truck of a several minute gaffe at the Florida fundraiser. Obama was talking about the trials and tribulations of dictatorships becoming democracies--the slow, arduous process that that entails. And the larger statement presents Obama looking at this issue in a measured but still cogent way.
These people who think democracies spring instantly to life should take a hard look at how long it took our own to form. The battles didn't end with the ratification of the Constitution. Some had their start with that action ~ and some continued to fester until the 1860s when we went to war with ourselves. Its not as simple as purple thumbs, open elections, and change of government. Cultural changes occur over several decades and some don't change with the passing of centuries. Some of the most highly resistant are present in the Middle East where internal struggles have been evidence for damned near a millennium. Its at the heart of the radical islamist uprising today.
And our own has not finished evolving. Our greatest historical contribution to the world is the democratic election process: a bloodless revolution, if you will. But we are in real danger of losing our ability to govern ourselves. The two greatest contributors to this peril would be (1) the gerrymandering of representative districts by partisan legislatures, which result in districts packed with voters predominately of one party or the other, resulting in the election of the most radical and most extreme candidates (which result directly in the paralysis we have in Congress and (2) our obsolete electoral college system which has resulted this year in an election with campaigns almost exclusively confined to the few battleground states. A Democratic vote in Texas (Jim's home and mine) in the Presidential election is an exercise in futility, just as is a Republican vote in New York. We need to eliminate the gerrymandering of districts, with districts drawn up impartially and we need to eliminate the Electoral College, having a national election based on total popular vote. But both will require constitutional amendments, and I doubt I'll live long enough to see either.
Frank Pentangeline: Do you REALLY believe the BS you're peddling today is going to sell to the American voter?? Are you really that stupid? Obama/Biden will win by a landslide and you're sitting back wondering why it happened? Seriously, are you REALLY that poorly educated, or are you just REALLY just that stupid?
I don't think that the real Thomas Jefferson would speak that way. Your exhibited hate and ignorance eliminates any credibility you or your comments may have had.
San Tan: You're ignorance of contemporary affairs is exceeded only by your ignorance of Thomas Jefferson!
My knowledge of contemporary affairs is more than sufficient to recognize your hate, ignorance, and stupidity. Shame on you for using TJ's name to further your cause.
Mormons are a CULT, don't need the Anti-Christ running my country, YET!!!
Chris America
You already have the Anti-Crist Muslim. I'd much rather have a Morman than a Moron.
Chris,
Why is it Obama supporters talk about tolerance but they do not apply to people of different religions?
And Romney supporters do?
Of religion yes, of lifestyles no, I am being honest now will you answer the question?
Ostumbler is a noisy bump in the road in American history.
Ah, what wit: what wisdom. Obama is really "Ostumbler". Or sometimes it is "Obummer" and sometimes "Odummer". In case it escaped your notice, this article is about Romney's criticism of Obama's statement on the Middle East. It would be appropriate for one to offer support of opposition to what Romney said, or, if one preferred, to the substance of the Presidents remarks. But stupid and sophomoric name calling does nothing except to demonstrate your prejudice and immaturity. You should really grow up. And give up commenting until you do. After all, it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
Here let me try "Odumbass"
don't mind left-nut, he things W was a genius, whoo hoo for the dull normal republican wingers and the Bambi killer is right along in lock-step.
Obama 2012
Get that all you deluded demoncrap Jews? Odumbo says Israel can worry about itself he's too busy on the View and Letterman.
Romney's idea of leadership is to criticize the President for whatever he says. Frequently that puts Mr. Romney in direct opposition to his own position, but that is never a problem for him.
Of course he does, lead the way to legally raiding pension funds and beat a fast path to the Caymans, and really stepped it up in out sourcing.
Obama 2012
Frank Pentangeline: Do you REALLY believe the BS you're peddling today is going to sell to the American voter?? Are you really that stupid? Obama/Biden will win by a landslide and you're sitting back wondering why it happened? Seriously, are you REALLY that poorly educated, or are you just REALLY just that stupid?
Romney is stuck on deception, lies, and concealment. To vote for him is to seek the booby prize and cost yourself $2,000 in income tax increase.
$102,000,000 IRA how did he do that? Off-shore accounts, really, nah he's not hiding anything.
Obama 2012
Can anyone tell me why Romney would call Russia our "number one geopolitical foe" yet still feel the need to invest his own money in that nation???
Did Romney NOT refer to Russia as our "number one geopolitical foe"???
I'm quoting Romney not some mythical liberal media outlet that made that up.
Frank, he actually said that. There is a very vibrant, full color video of him uttering those very words. No research is needed unless one is looking for possible ways to spin his words as not meaning what he said.
Frank Pentangeline: Do you REALLY believe the BS you're peddling today is going to sell to the American voter?? Are you really that stupid? Obama/Biden will win by a landslide and you're sitting back wondering why it happened? Seriously, are you REALLY that poorly educated, or are you just REALLY just that stupid?
You're right Frank, that's not all he said. He also said that Russia lines up with all the world's worst actors. Yet he still feels compelled to invest his own money there. Money in a nation that he claims associates with the worst actors on the world stage. That's someone you can certainly trust with our foreign policy.
Frank, he said it in an interview. When asked who was the biggest threat to the United States today, Romney answered, "our biggest geopolitcal enemy is Russia." No editing, no context, that's what he said.
Some do indeed want to go to war with IRAN, they deserve it right? Absolutely, but GWB decided IRAQ was more important then the true player... You have to be kidding me.
Take IRAN out instead of IRAQ and no one would be talking about anything right now and Israel would be on vacation.
Don't blame this on Obama... AFTER the election he will CLEAN UP IRAN. Until then hold tight, since going to WAR right before election is frowned upon. After all, he has been completing a MASSIVE military build up to go to war with IRAN.
Romney is just using the mid-east turmoil as a hail marry chance to get votes before no one will ever remember his name again.
Lets get this over with, Obama will win, and the GOP will cry.
Obama 2012!
Wow, let's lower everyone's IQ by 100 points by all this name calling and rhetoric back and forth.
I know you are, but what am I? Please grow-up people.
I get partisan also in my defense of our President, when I feel he is being attacked, which is most of the time, but when you DON'T have real facts, or real arguments you take words out of context, or imply other meanings to statements, like you didn't build that, it just shows your weakness and your lack of message.
Romney words in that tape speak for themselves, Ryan's voting record, and the Ryan plan speak for themselves. Both RR lack of details, of specific plans speaks the loudest.
O&JOE Forward not back!
Except the Obama supporters are quoting the wrong Ryan plan not the most current. They imply that he wants to cut aid to current seniors which is not true.
On the tape where they are talking about the Middle East it was edited and the original version comes out completely different. The President himself in the 60 Minutes interview said his commercials were not truthful but that was edited out.
I as a small business owner was insulted by the "you didn't build it" because we all have access to the same roads but some of us took chances and started our own businesses, and to put that down shows a lack of understanding. If you have ever had your own business you know the nights you do not sleep wondering how you are going to make payroll and during a recession you have to decide who you are going to layoff, etc.
Hey president Obama how was interveiw on the vue you waste.
He doesnt have time to talk to an ally, but he can talk to a bunch of ignorant liberal cu nts.
@USAF,
Ignorant is as ignorant does... and you just showed your ignorance.
As a liberal you should know.
That's how the left looks at the truth, they call it ignorance. What did he say that was untruthful?
@Deer,
If you call that truth, I truly feel sorry for you.
USAF - Does that type of language the USAF have to go together? You resrespect the armed services, and there are many that served proudly, namely my daughter. So either respect the institution and place some class in your comments or change your handle to something like "Dumb ass talking".
You are obviously using the handle to let us know you served. Well, I for one would prefer those that served to have done so with a little more class. I know my daughter does.
Bali Bob
I'm on the right wing, I don't need your sorrow or your money. Remember? We stand on our own. That's how America was built & we intend to keep it that way.
Romney/Ryan 2012 Our way of life depends on it.
Salamat Malam, Bali, the dull normals and bambi killers are out in force, along with a 24 year vet of spurious conflict related wounds, easy to insult 92 year old vets and a Vietnam Vet, a died in the wool Obama hater, our precious USAF49, a perfect putzer for the limbaugh crowd.
Salaam Hormat, cinta.
Obama 2012
USAF49
Just replace c&nts with huzzies. That makes it all good. It is the total truth without the words that hurt the little Libtards feelings.
@Deer?
Who said anything about money? I just feel sorry for you.
@sky,
Hoo, boy. The hate is a-flying. Expect plenty more- bought and paid for by Karl Rove and the Koch bros.
btw Selamat Malam to you!
Romney could back off all the enemies in the world with a hansom, intense, steadfast gaze. People are truly amazed by his wealth and importance, I know I am.
I find Romney pretty amazing too, Bird ~ but not for the same reasons. I find it truly amazing that this dolt who is a paragon of business management can't even run a political campaign successfully. I find it amazing that he doesn't realize that every word he says is recorded by someone and he will ultimately be confronted by his own comments. Pretty amazing that a guy with his education and background never learns.
@Mocking,
You are mocking, right?
Bali, ya, mocking.
Cinta
Obama 2012
I wonder how many more bumps in the road Obama will have before the people wake up.
Romney equals World War III !
And how is that please explain.
USAF , just listen to his rhetoric. Not to mention NetanYahoo pulling his strings .
So what do we do wait till they come to us.
Romney is a moron, as are all who would vote for the villiage idiot! Obama is the only RIGHT choice this election!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT!!!!
And Mr. 57 states is what Einstein.
USAF - Did you graduate top of your class at Harvard? Did you even attend Havard? Did you even attend college?
Obama has given maybe speeches and talking in detail about almost every problem we have, from the financial crisis, to foreign affairs, entitlements, health care, in in every one of them can communicate with knowledge on all the subjects. Yet you want to label him for that slip. How objective do you think you, seriously? Tell you what, you even get into Harvard i'll give you the same weight on the intelligence meter....but that'' no chance....none..
I'll match my 131 iq against Mr. teleprompter Ostumbler any day.
The only interest ROBME would be interested in the mid east is another foriegn bunch of crooks where he could hide more ill gotten money that needs to dodge US TAXES!!!!!!!!!!!
The lies of liberals are unbelieveable.
ED -653122
If Romney is so worried about money then why in the world does he contribute 8 million dollars a year to charity & only claim 1/2 of it? I think people put a little to much into a man being successful in life.
Dear Hunter, first he didn't contribute 8 million, it was 4 million, mainly to his church which he's required to, the reason he didn't claim 1/2 of it, is because a few months earlier Romney told the nation he's never paid less that 13.9 percent, and if he claimed the 4 million he would have paid but 9.
So the guy only submits two tax returns, tell the world he's never paid less that 13.9 percent, and one of the filings he shows is 9%. Now, you tell me, why do you think he didn't report half.
Maybe just maybe lying to the public and getting caught doing so wouldn't be that politically smart, you think.
It wasn't for a noble reason, he said earlier anyone who pays more than he actually owns should be disqualified from running for president.
No one dime to the local food banks or homeless shelters, so tell me where did the $$ go? Salt Lake of course.
Obama 2012
Obama is an Islam sympathizer. No matter what he says about Islam being part of the problem in the Middle East he doesn't mean it. His beliefs that he gained as a child are what is driving him now. he is throwing the USA under the bus int he middle East and we are just standing by and letting him doo it. The media is in his back pocket and they just love the guy and don't have a clue of what he is doing. as he dismantles the USA.
100 percent correct..obama has killed the u.s.
ihateliberals: Your ignorance of contemporary affairs is pathetic. Your ignorance of history is pathetic. Your ignorance of international relations is pathetic. What IS you level of formal education anyway?
forestgirl: Time to go back to playing with crayons. Maybe things will make sense there for you.
Mitt Romney is 100% owned by Binyamin Netanyahu and Sheldon Adelson. Mitt is a parrot for the right wing Likud Party of Israel and their Zionist expansionism in and exploitation of the West Bank. A vote for Mitt is a vote for us fighting a war as Israel's proxy. Our money. Our sons and daughters. Zionism's goals.
How is soro's payments to Obama going clown.
Can you please tell me how many wars the U.S. has fought for Israel, because they did not send troops in 48, 56, 67, or 73?
On June 8, 1967, US Navy intelligence ship USS Liberty was suddenly and brutally attacked on the high seas in international waters by the air and naval forces of Israel. Thirty four Americans were killed in the attack and another 174 were wounded by Israeli Air Force and Naval troops. I was part of that operation. Buddies of mine died during that heinous crime. Israel killed our Americans aboard our intelligence ship to hide their upcoming attack on the Golan Heights. Takeover of the Golan was to confiscate the underlying water aquifers. So yes, Americans have died and have been wounded to accomplish Zionist aims. I know. I was there.
Where do you think they got the tanks, aircraft, ammo from? US, not as much as Koch boys and Adelson.
Obama 2012
Romney represents the likes and interests of Palin and Bachmann, Can you think of any further void in the leadership of this nation than those 2 and their ideals? The thought of those two in Romneys cabinet fighting for leadership posts is appalling at best! Director of Intelligence and Education.. I can envision it now..
That is just to horrific to even contemplate...I'd rather send my kids to Chaney/Rove day care...
Didnt Nettinyahoo snub Obama last year...? Maybe Israel needs to understand that we will no longer be their bitch...and when Iran makes that announcement we're all expecting, Israel's neighbors will no longer be their bitches either...
USA49- Thanks for proving my point with your well thought out post's! LOL
Oh so you are the only smart liberal out that is that the point that I have proved ha ha ha. You a ss clowns are hilarious.
@USAF,
Rick Santorum recently said: "We'll never have the smart people on our side".
You are proving him right.
Rick Santorum isnt running so try again.
no but santorum supports him should tell you something, but no the vet just stumbles along the dull normal route.
My Daddy says hello, he's still with us and still in the 47% crowd.
Obama 2012
He has been hiding what happened in Libya. It is beginning to look far worse and this is a huge scandal that the liberal media is ignoring outright.
@USAF,
Your check from Crossroads America is in the mail.
NBC ABC, CNN , CBS have all ignorned what has happened in Libya and allowed Obama to pass on his bullsh it narrative.
USAF,
CNN is actually the one who is in front of this story and is the only one pushing it. The other companies are talking about a tape made in May that just happened to be released the same week as Libya. The media finds the tape more important than the Al Qaeda flag flying over our Embassy, and our ambassador who was murdered
But don't move "heaven and earth" to fix any problems, isn't that right Mittwit??
Obama thinks the deaths of our people in the Middle East are bumps in the road. God, what trash you liberals have voted into office.
and that genius W thought what about the 4,447 Americans Body Bagged in a bogus war, not much apparently, w still doesn't believe he made any mistakes during his reign.
Obama 2012
Like Bush/Cheney did? That Warmonger type leadership, Wiiillllluurrrrrd?
Better to feared then loved.
Iraq/Afghanistan...Obama did it...
Arabs vs jews (for the past 300 years)...Obama's fault
Syria...yup, Obama did that
Somalia/Black Hawk Down...There's "black' right in the name...do the math.
Euro crisis...All Odumbo's fault.
US manufacturing/jobs that started going to china in the early 80's...Liberal Dems and Obamination caused that too...
The only thing to do is vote Romney...He's endorsed by great people an institutions like: Wall Street, the Banking Industry, Rush Linbaugh, the PM of Israel, Sarah Palin, Bachman...The choice is clear, yes?
Looks clear to me.
You forgot USS Cole and Beirut, Iran Contra, yup all the Presidents fault, along with 9-11, and Katrina, have we got them all yet folks?
Obama 2012
I think you left out the "Black Death" in Europe in the 1300's. Oh and World Wars 1 & 2.
oops, my bad.
Obama 2012