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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.
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Hey, Romney what does your comments mean that we will kick the ball down the field and hope something happens good between the Israeli's and Palestinians. Is that a plan? You think Russia is our biggest foe.
You can't travel through Europe without insulting England our greatest Allie. So keep talking and showing your ignorance and lack of diplomacy, like speaking out to criticize the President when our embassy's where attacked.
adasity! this tells of your character. lives have been taken and it is so inappropriate for you to try and menopolize on this. if you have any sense at all you would realize that the comment made by President Obama about "a bump in the road" had nothing to do with the deaths of those americans......check your self. you claim to be smart about so many things...you are not showing it with this.
The GOP/RNC "Speculator and Chief" does NOT know his facts. Again! The GOP/RNC "Romulian" is NOT able to tell the truth. Again! This GOP/RNC "Zombie" has NO Foreign Policy Plan of his own, because there is no money to make involved. The President was talking about how the Economies and Governments in the Middle East have hit a bump in the road. The "Really Not Competent" (RNC) of the GOP are taking what the President out of context. Again! The "Gross Odd People" are "Cognitively Disabled" to think that the President does not care about all American Citizens. No matter where they work and live in the world. The GOP/RNC are so "Mentally Ill." That the GOP/RNC "Zombies" actually believe that the President is not keeping up with the leaders of the world? This the thinking of simple minded and very uninformed individuals. The President knows exactly what he is doing with Foreign Poiicy America. The President must continue as usual, and not let others dictate to him what he should do. The "Romulian" has NO plan to deal with Iran, and his wanting to bomb Iran is NOT a policy. It is just a "Mushroom Cloud" ready to happen! The President is NOT going to let Iran bully their neignbors in anyway shape or form. This President is No Jimmy Carter in the area of Foreign Policy. Hey! News Flash! NO WAY would President Reagan ever speak about our nation like "Romulian Romney did in that video. President Reagan would lash out at the "Romulian's" comments, and President Reagan believed strongly in all Americans. President Reagan would never label his fellow Americans as lazy or that they do not take responsibility for themselves. President Reagan was very proud to be President, very proud to be an American, and very proud of all citizens. President Reagan wanted all Americans to succeed, and to be the best that they can be at all times. President Reagan would have never had endorsed "Romulain Romney." NO WAY! President Reagan would have been appauled by the "Two-Faced" Politics of this GOP?RNC "Speculator and Chief." President Reagan would never mix up the role of a President. With that of a CEO working in a "Vulture" Corporation like Bain Capital. President Reagan would have more differing issues with the GOP/RNC "Speculator and Chief" than President Obama does. So do not insult America or our fellow citizens by comparing President Reagan to this Political 'Fiip-Flopper, and who is not Presdiential at all. That is fact!
Romney has one thing in mind for the Midde East, Bomb Iran, Bomb Libya, Bomb Syria, Bomb Pakistan, The powers that be have ordered it and it MUST be done, We MUST bomb them into gravel,,,,,To create peace
Then once peace is established in the Middle East, We must bomb North Korea, We must bomb Thailand, We must bomb, We must bomb, WE MUST BOMB!!!!!!
Get real, The Middle East has been at war either with each other or with themselves for 10,000 years
It ain't gonna change EVER
Romney best quit worrying about Obama and the Middle East and start doing some domestic damage control. A new poll issued today shows Romney losing big time with seniors. He once held a 20-point lead over Obama with voters 60-plus. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll released today shows that lead down to just four points. Forget the fat lady ~ listen to Dandy Don sing "Turn out the lights, the party's over........."
What else does he have to grasp onto? He's alienated just about every voting block out there.
V ote
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President Obama will not and does not spend any money on Osama bin Laden, for the confident decisive decision of President Obama and his administration has taken bin Laden down on 5/2/2011 by Navy SEAL.
How has Romney said President Obama was "lack of leadership in the Middle East"?
Where is Osama bin Laden right now? Egypt and Libya are at least moving forward a democratic state, for both nations have their first free election of their own president, even though both nations have still long way to go. What make Romney think that President Obama was "lack of leadership in the Middle East"?
The leadership in the Middle East is not pro-war logo, nor always stirring up against Islamic nations as a decision. Middle East is a very crowded place; and if one nation drops a nuclear bomb there, do they know that the side effects from the nuclear bomb? Or if one nation bombs a nuclear facility, do they really understand the side effects of the collapse or the explosion of a nuclear facility?
Democracy or diplomacy or continuing dialogue with other nations may be more helpful than just going into wars, or Americans may invest to the defense contract companies. The other thing is any decision in the Middle East has to consult with our allies, e.g. United Kingdom and France, and Romney/Ryan cannot just do things on themselves.
Recalling the former President R. Nixon has reached out to China with a simple friendly gesture, e.g. ping-pong/table tennis competition. Maybe , USA sends a team of baseball or a musical to reach out Israel and Iran at the same time.
Keep on thinking you're going to win Mitt,,,,I honestly can't wait to see the look on his face when not only is our president re-elected, but the left wins back the house and gets a filibuster proof senate.
It's time for the right to think about the american people and what is best for them, and not just their rich, greedy masters!!!!!!
I don't want to see Romney in the White House either, but considering how both parties have been forced to the extreme edges of their platforms I don't think I want to see either party in total control of Washington either.
Just keep in mind that Romney's concession speech on November 6 will also be the kick-off address for his 2016 campaign. That boy will never learn.
I think Romney needs to take a step back and realize that it is when we try to exert leadership in the Middle East that they end up hating us even more. We had different societies and trying to influence how theirs works has not gone well for us in the past and led to many in the Middle East viewing the United States as a meddlesome country that doesn't know when to butt out.
It is a hard line to strike between patiently watching issues in other nations boil over and knowing that it is time to step in and knock some heads together. To soon or to aggressively and you come off as a bully. To late and you could have a serious military conflict on your hands.
re: end up hating us even more
^ this is the one lock-step-cinch guaranteed result of a Romney Presidency. Massive increase in terror world wide due to seething hatred from our enemies, and contempt from our allies.
In other words Bush/Cheney II.
The Mitt-wit solution: Bomb them all!
The oblamo solution: apologize to them all
Of the two, I'll take apologies over bombs. That's what Jesus would do.
I wonder of Bin Laden accepted the "apology"?
Saying Obama didn't pull the trigger is like saying Osama wasn't on the plane.
And saying you don't like the American President puts you in agreement with the Taliban.
You liberals certainly are crazy. You have ruined this country, this country now deserves someone like obama to "lead". My family will be fine, hope yours will too.
Mark - you're right - everything was just fine until 3 1/2 years ago. THOSE were the good ol' Bush days, eh? If Romney wins, he'll take you right back there. Good luck to you as well -
Last year President Barack Obama had 12 meetings with heads of different Countries when they all met last year...this year he decided to tell the world when the Middle East is on Fire...He doesnt have time in his jam packed schedule...because he has to get back for his taping of "the View"....Not exagerating ... Gibbs addressed that this morning...Laughable..and scary...What a joke of a President!!!!!!
And of course you've fallen for the propaganda being spewed by the right wing Israeli War monger Netanyahu and his good buddy Mendacity Mitt. Both want a war with Iran and the only way Netanyahu gets a free pass to start on is if Mendacity Mitt is in office. So he claims he was denied a meeting with the President. It's already been made clear he never asked, he just complained he didn't get a meeting he didn't ask for because he wants to manipulate our political process so he can get his fellow warmonger Mitt Romney elected. Mitt would be a joke if he wasn't so dangerously stupid.
RRuin - OK, so Obama shouldn't meet with all the tension going on over there? Not saying that he should start a war, but isn't it the Presidents job to meet with allies, especially in times of critical need?
RRuin...C'mon...There is no propaganda there. Either he is meeeting people or not. He is not...but he is leaving right after his speech to go record his segment on the "View"" Honestly..where is the Propaganda? There are some very serious issues in the World today...Middle East, Iran and Israel, World Economy...and he doesnt have time for a single meeting in New York??? There is no spin here what so ever...what part is not true or presented differently than it should?
If Romney's recent summer trip overseas is any indication of how he would approach foreign governments, then we are in big trouble. He put his foot in his mouth both in England and also when he was in the middle east. When he was in England he was call "Mitt the Twit". When Romeny loses in November, then he can go to his home renovation project in La Jolla, Ca. and supervise the building of the elevator for his car.
Mitt is such a liar, can't tell the truth if the truth bit him in the butt. Everyone knows what the President meant with his comments. Mitt STOP IT!
I thought only Ann could bark orders like "Stop IT!" ;-)
Wow - what a surprise. Romney campaign stoops to taking a few words out of context and running a campaign on it. How long before he slaps it on the side of a bus for a "Bumps in the Road" tour of battleground states. Just like his campaign ran with a "You didn't build that" 20 state bus tour AND RNC Convention theme.
Romney's whole campaign is completely based on total distortions - gutting welfare work req, Obama suppressing Vet ballots, taking money from seniors in their Medicare - or grabbing onto a few words out of context.
Call it the Republican desperate "out of context/total distortion" tour 2012! Tickets still available!
didn't you guys just do that too?? Tit for tat right?
Excellent post and nailed it!
Mitt twists his own words, Obama's barely been able to assist him.
Take out Romney's name and put in Netenhayu's name and you have the real mouthpiece of who wants war in the Mideast. Romney has no intention of having any type of peace there because his fanatical radical extreme Zionist BFF wants a war with Iran and his BFF wants the US to be his surrogate in starting the war. That's why Israel is pissed at Obama, the war mongering Zionists want that red line drawn, Pres Obama is telling them no way. Time to take back all that aid and spend it on this country and not war monger.
Romney has no intention of having any type of peace....
^ Romney has stated that peace in the Mid East is impossible.
If Romney wins, prepare for another decade of war in Iran, in Syria, etc.. It will never end.
Romney, You're an Idiot. As President Obama stated: If you want to start a war, Just tell us
Mark D,,,the republicans have gutted the middle class for the last 40 years,,,,,,,,but we all know that facts are not something the right is interested in!!!!!!!!
As far as your family, if you really love them and want to take care of them, you better start doing some research and get a clue my friend,,,,,,We are just one more republican away from this country crashing and burning forever!
BTW, we all have families we love,,,,,,Have a good life son.
omega1
Please explain what caused the median income of the Middle Class to shrink by 2,000 since 2009. Keep in mind that the Recession ended in June 2009.
Moot point. We have an utter twit asking us if he can be president right now.
Keep reminding us of the recession that Geo W. created, OK? We need the motivation.
Any fool would have taken our bin ladin.
^ Bush didn't. He let him get away.
And Romney said we would not go after him for fear of reprisal from Pakistan.
Only a fool would vote for Mitt Romney.
ScommaG
So did Bill Clinton.
Romney, not Clinton are asking us to boot the current president, and hire him.
Mitt is a moron.
No, he is a Mormon. You and Hussein are the morons. hehehehehehehehehehehehe
Joe, phuck you moron.
Joe Thomas-6624551, your last hero did such a bad job, his successor had the same name as his sworn enemy, and was the first Black President of the USA.
Deal with your legacy, at least. Barak is president, because of YOU.
First, there was no apology for the attack on the Cairo Embassy or the Consulate in Libya. It's a Romney lie and he knows it.
Romney didn't think getting Bin Laden, the mass murderer of Americans was important enough to spend a dime on. He said it was too expensive to track him down.
Romney as always, the empty suit seizes on the "bumps in the road" language to try to paint the President as not getting what's going on. The one who doesn't get it is the war monger sociopath Romney who will say or do anything so he can put the number 45 next to his name.
The fact is if Romney were President, Bin Laden would be alive and the US car industry would be dead. We'd be in a bloody war with Iran, our troops would still be in Iraq, and he'd never get us out of Afghanistan.
A Romney Presidency would be a nightmare of incompetence and a man who would be the puppet of the neocons and the right wing Netanyahu.
Romney is an idiot.
Oh cut the crap you two...neither of you are worth to be in office...
Neither of the two has a solution to our problem...because, they BOTH are
the problem...
I must say...this is the worse election that I can remember...such low characters...
Heard a spokesman for the president say the president can meet with world leaders via phone and that business can be done just as efficiently by calling them. This is an excuse for why the president isn't in attendance at the UN for in person meetings. In other words, the president just had to meet Beyonce and go on the View in person but meeting with world leaders by phone was just as good. Is that is so, then why didn't he phone into the View and meet the leaders in person...priorities? What a disgrace. This from a man that wants 4 more years to lead this country..... worst president ever... that's right, worse that Carter.
Worse than Carter - but a great apologist!
Would Romney meet with those leaders, without pre-conditions?
(chuckles)
We have tried force-two wars without paying for them and one pay as you go war. We have tried reasoning- Carter. I would imagine we have even tried begging. The truth is the Arabs want us out of the mideast. They don't mind selling us oil but they don't like our ships and our army there. I think they are a bunch of nuts but we would probably feel the same way. I agree with Romney that probably nothing can be done. It never has been done except for brief British occupation. However, a President has to try because of American lives and commerce. It never ceases to amaze me that everytime something bad happens in the world it is because we should have acted differently. The truth is that the other countries probably don't care how we act as long as it doesn't involve them.
Can you Obama supporters explain why Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar are now considered world leaders?
Wow, that's a stretch.
Why don't you spend some time talking UP your hero?
Yes. The Romney campaign is taking its message to the people of America. It also said it would not be dictated by fact checkers. I think that there are a lot of indications that the American people just arent buying the Romney campaign's message, especially when half the time they dont know what the hell the message is!
Here's hoping that Pres. Obama has wide coat tails so we can get this country moving again!! We cant wait much longer to start addressing the multiple disaster with which the GOP has left the country! We simply cant AFFORD the GOP. If their last 3 presidents had NOT signed TWENTY deficit riddled budgets, we wouldnt HAVE a debt crisis!! They've been giving Joe America the finger. It's time to return the favor!