Warsaw, Poland (CNN) - The traveling press secretary for Mitt Romney lost his cool and cursed at reporters who attempted to ask questions of the Republican presidential candidate in a public plaza near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw Tuesday.
After Romney paid his respects to Poland's war dead and shook hands with a small gathering of the nation's military veterans, the GOP contender walked approximately 100 yards away from the memorial as he chatted with Warsaw's mayor.
As Romney made his way to his vehicle, reporters attempted to shout questions to the candidate. The former Massachusetts governor, who has answered only three questions from his traveling press corps during a week-long overseas trip, ignored the queries.
When members of the press tried to ask Romney about some of the mishaps on his trip, his traveling press secretary Rick Gorka verbally dressed down reporters.
Here's a transcript of the questions and Gorka's response:
CNN: "Governor Romney are you concerned about some of the mishaps of your trip?
NYT: "Governor Romney do you have a statement for the Palestinians?
Washington Post: "What about your gaffes?
NYT: "Governor Romney do you feel that your gaffes have overshadowed your foreign trip?"
CNN: "Governor Romney just a few questions sir, you haven't taken but three questions on this trip from the press!
Gorka: "Show some respect"
NYT: "We haven't had another chance to ask a question..."
Gorka: "Kiss my ass. This is a Holy site for the Polish people. Show some respect."
Moments later, Gorka told Jonathan Martin, a reporter for Politico, to "shove it." About a half-hour later, the aide called reporters to apologize.
Gorka's comments to the media came just hours before Romney's foreign policy speech in Warsaw.
Aides to the GOP candidate say Romney visited Poland to highlight the nation's growing economy and honor its contributions to the war in Afghanistan.
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My esteem for Romney just jumped, or more precisely his press secretary. If I were the Poles I would have had the soldiers guarding the tomb beat hell out of them for their insolence. Be a boor somewhere else, not there.
OK, I'd be ok with his press secretary smacking them around anytime actually...
Again, I see this as a poor omen for the organization of his campaign. It's unusual to see a press secretary at this level of the game unable to deal with such wholly predictable questions, after recent events.
Regardless of whether or not he found these questions palatable or not, this is going to hurt him. The press can smell fear, like dogs, and they're going to be even more aggressive from now on to try to create a story.
Hmm. On one hand, he cursed at reporters which I find to be insanely stupid. On the other hand, I kind of like what he said. On the third mutant had that has grown from my left rib cage, it probably would have been better to have not said it cause Romney is trying to be president, its no shocker reporters follow him everywhere he goes.
After Romney paid his respects to Poland's war dead and shook hands with a small gathering of the nation's military veterans, the GOP contender walked approximately 100 yards away from the memorial as he chatted with Warsaw's mayor.
I'm still waiting for an answer to those questions. They're really perfectly reasonable. Even Bush handled them better than Romney did.
Mind you, I have a lot more sympathy for Bush than I do Romney. The former is (or comes across as) an honestly nice guy who wants what's best for society even if I may disagree with him on some or many aspects of his ideology.
Romney, however, comes across as an oily car salesman or something.
^^ In this, there is truth. Say what you will about Dubya, and much has been said, but: When W. Bush says something, I believe that he really believes what he said, regardless of whether or not things were going well or poor for him.
While I don't think he was a particularly good president, I think W. Bush had a level of integrity I simply fail to sense in Mr. Romney.
Sure, but handle it that way. Make a statement along the lines of "Mr. Romney won't be answering questions here, he is here to pay his respects", which he was ostensibly there to do. Then, simply pretend they are not there, or shame them by stating, quietly, to have some respect for their location.
To put it differently, a professional mouthpiece should not answer perceived disrespect by retorting that they can "kiss his ass" at same hallowed ground.
Anyway, another interesting bungle from the campaign. I suspect more then the issues, it's going to be stuff like this that hurts him in November. The Obama campaign is well-seasoned and (generally) fairly well organized. When you're neck and neck as these guys are, I think the little things will make a difference.
LordofHats wrote:Maybe they shouldn't but they do anyway. The aide should have kept his cool.
No. In contrast I think the aid should have done an atomic drop on the CNN reporter, spinning back kick the WAPO reporter, and finishing move on the NYT reporter, all the while shouting "GLASNOST!" at the top of his lungs. ROmney popularity would have gone up 10 points.
The conservative bloc will love Romney for this, but Romney doesn't have to motivate them to vote for him. He needs to motivate the middle, who may well be turned off by how disorganized and wild his campaign staff seems to be. The impression is that even while running for president Romney can't control his own people, which doesn't endear him to the idea of him doing the same while running the country.
He needs to get used to them following him, if he wants to be president he has to know they willl be everywhere he is. Doesnt matter if he is in the park or anywhere else, they will follow him no matter what. He has to get used to it.
All in all, romney seems to be getting loosed tongue very early.
Is this really the best the GOP has to offer? Why not just give frazzled the nomination.
Surtur wrote:He's trying to be president, not a celebrity, he needs to answer some questions.
There's a time and a place. I've yet to see any questions that the press asks that are actually meaningful anyway, so who cares? I mean, now the 24 hour stations can cover this 'scandal' and get their ratings anyway.
LordofHats wrote:The conservative bloc will love Romney for this, but Romney doesn't have to motivate them to vote for him. He needs to motivate the middle, who may well be turned off by how disorganized and wild his campaign staff seems to be. The impression is that even while running for president Romney can't control his own people, which doesn't endear him to the idea of him doing the same while running the country.
The lack of economic growth will motivate the independents. To WAR!!!!!!!* *I think its known how Frazzled weeps for the loss of titans in this election.
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hotsauceman1 wrote:He needs to get used to them following him, if he wants to be president he has to know they willl be everywhere he is. Doesnt matter if he is in the park or anywhere else, they will follow him no matter what. He has to get used to it. All in all, romney seems to be getting loosed tongue very early. Is this really the best the GOP has to offer? Why not just give frazzled the nomination.
Another vote for Frazzled. A vote for Frazzled is a vote for Peace, for Prosperity, for Pizza!
LordofHats wrote:Romney is trying to be president, its no shocker reporters follow him everywhere he goes.
I'm pretty sure Romney gives a gak about dead people from Poland - having reporters show up there to document him playing a game of pretend is part of the plan, and I'm sure that he would have considered the trip a total waste if the public would not know he was there.
Melissia wrote:I'm still waiting for an answer to those questions.
But that would require him to take a stance ...
Don't you know that having an opinion makes you vulnerable?!
I'm pretty sure Romney gives a gak about dead people from Poland - having reporters show up there to document him playing a game of pretend is part of the plan, and I'm sure that he would have considered the trip a total waste if the public would not know he was there.
Then the same is applied to Obama by your perception?
GEORGE W. BUSH was never much of a CEO, and I'm beginning to think that was part of the reason why he was a pretty good politician. Mitt Romney, by all accounts, was a killer CEO; his campaign so far has been lacklustre, and his first trip abroad has been a bit of a horn-honking, floppy-shoed clown show. After spending several days getting flayed by the British press for insulting the country's handling of the Olympic games, he moved on to Israel, where his campaign promptly involved itself in a diplomatic scandal (this time with actual consequences) over whether it had said that Mr Romney would back a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran. Mr Romney went on to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel, a position no American administration has ever taken because discussions over the final status of the city are the most explosive subject in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. Then this morning, at a fund-raising breakfast largely populated by ultra-rich Jewish Americans, Mr Romney managed to suggest that Palestinians are poor because their culture is inferior to that of Jews.
"As you come here and you see the GDP per capita, for instance, in Israel which is about $21,000 dollars, and compare that with the GDP per capita just across the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority, which is more like $10,000 per capita, you notice such a dramatically stark difference in economic vitality," the Republican presidential candidate told about 40 wealthy donors who breakfasted around a U-shaped table at the luxurious King David Hotel...
Romney, seated next to billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson at the head of the table, told donors at his fundraiser that he had read books and relied on his own business experience to understand why the difference is so great.
"And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things," Romney said, citing an innovative business climate, the Jewish history of thriving in difficult circumstances and the "hand of providence."
Palestinians were less than thrilled.
"What is this man doing here?" said Saeb Erekat, a top Palestinian official. "Yesterday, he destroyed negotiations by saying Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and today he is saying Israeli culture is more advanced than Palestinian culture. Isn't this racism?"
To make matters worse, Mr Romney got his numbers wrong. Per capita income in Israel is over $31,000; in the Palestinian territories it is closer to $1,500. Those aren't the kinds of numbers that divide industrious Protestants from happy-go-lucky Catholics. They're the kind of numbers that divide South Korea from Ghana. You don't get those kinds of divisions because of cultural differences.
The reason most Palestinians have low third-world income levels is that they are born into impoverished towns or refugee camps inside the gerrymandered Bantustans of the Palestinian Authority, where border crossings are controlled by Israeli military authorities, water sources are tapped to feed Jewish settlements, Israeli-built infrastructure bypasses them, the education system is funded by paltry international contributions and paltrier taxes, agricultural land is periodically taken by Jewish settlers whose illegal seizures are retroactively approved by the government, land values are undermined because of the overhanging threat of expropriation by Israel, and on and on through all the savage indignities and economic violence of a 50-year-long occupation by people whose ultimate goal is to force you off as much of the territory as possible. Obviously, gross corruption by Palestinian officials and counterproductive political and economic attitudes on the part of Palestinian citizens, mainly typical adaptive behaviours that any people tend to develop when they're confined to massive donor-supported detention zones, have made the situation much worse. Palestine was not going to be a wealthy nation under any circumstances. But without the occupation they might have been as wealthy as, say, Jordanians, who have a per capita income (purchasing-power-adjusted) of $6,000.
Comparing the income of the average Israeli to that of the average Palestinian, as though their prospects at birth had been equivalent and their fortunes today are largely the result of their own efforts and their "culture", is gratuitously insulting and wreaks damage to American diplomacy. Besides that, it's just wrong. Mr Romney may have noticed a rather large concrete wall running between many Palestinian towns and the roads that might otherwise connect them with markets. To coin a phrase, Palestinians didn't build that. If one were looking for a country in which citizens of different religions are born into relatively equal positions and have equivalent levels of economic freedom, one might try comparing income by religion in the United States. Perhaps at a fund-raising breakfast in New York, Mr Romney might compliment the city's wealthy Jews and Hindus on their culture of educational excellence, which has made them so much richer and more accomplished, on average, than America's evangelical Christians and Mormons. Maybe it's not just culture; perhaps the "hand of providence" plays a role, as well. With the political deft touch Mr Romney has displayed so far on his trip abroad, I wouldn't put such a remark entirely past him.
It's never a good when a professional loses their cool doing what they are "professional" at.
To a professional like me he's good in my book. Granted he was pissed off at the audacity of the reporters it still felt good to read it
edit
Another vote for Frazzled.
A vote for Frazzled is a vote for Peace, for Prosperity, for Pizza!
Not voting for you Frazz. Pizza no longer appeals to me for like......3 yrs
Which is why you are a professional soldier and not a professional press secretary.
Edit: Why a pOlish visit you ask?
beacuse during the last discussion witht eh Russians Obama siad that after the election he would have more room to chat about the missile defense program. One of the key components of this shield is to be housed in Poland. Romney is telegraphy that he would not "abandon" the Poles when it comes to Missile Defense.
Is this thread about showing that Romney is a dick because his press secretary is a dick, or is it about showing that Obama is a dick because reporters asking Romney questions (who are therefore left wing Obama supporters) are dicks?
Darn those reporters...asking real questions after being invited along.
My advice to the Romney campaign would be to start looking for a replacement that they can phase in. If this guy is cracking in July, what's he going to be like in October?
gorgon wrote:Darn those reporters...asking real questions after being invited along.
My advice to the Republican Party would be to start looking for a replacement that they can phase in. If this guy is cracking in July, what's he going to be like in October?
Darn those reporters...asking real questions after being invited along at a War Memorial service dedicated to Poland troops who paid the ultimate price
Fixed x 2
My advice to the Republican Party would be to start looking for a replacement that they can phase in. If this guy is cracking in July, what's he going to be like in October?
(CBS News) The relationship between a presidential candidate and the press is often tenuous, but reporters covering Mitt Romney in Poland Tuesday found themselves in a tense verbal altercation with one of his aides after they tried to shout questions at the candidate.
After leaving an event with Warsaw Mayor Hanna Gronkiweicz at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, reporters, including one from The New York Times, yelled questions to Romney, who proceeded to ignore the queries, according to a pool report. As they were shouting their questions, Romney's travel press secretary Richard Gorka told the reporters to "show some respect."
After reporters protested, pointing out that Romney has only taken "but three questions" during his entire trip to London, Israel and Poland, Gorka said, "Kiss my a**. This is a holy site for the Polish people. Show some respect." The back and forth continued for a few seconds until Gorka ended the conversation with, "Why don't you shove it?"
Gorka later called two of the reporters to apologize, but the ongoing battle over access between the press, who wants to talk more often with the candidate, and the Romney campaign appears to have hit another low.
On Monday, Fox News host Greta Van Susteren wrote on her blog, "There has been no press access to Governor Romney since we landed in Poland. We (press) are in a holding pattern (I can't help but feel a bit like the press is a modified petting zoo since we are trapped in a bus while Polish citizens take pictures of us.)"
Even FOX isn't allowed to talk to him. Damn, he's really hiding.
gorgon wrote:Darn those reporters...asking real questions after being invited along.
My advice to the Republican Party would be to start looking for a replacement that they can phase in. If this guy is cracking in July, what's he going to be like in October?
gorgon wrote:Darn those reporters...asking real questions after being invited along.
My advice to the Republican Party would be to start looking for a replacement that they can phase in. If this guy is cracking in July, what's he going to be like in October?
gorgon wrote:Darn those reporters...asking real questions after being invited along.
My advice to the Republican Party would be to start looking for a replacement that they can phase in. If this guy is cracking in July, what's he going to be like in October?
Corrected your typo.
I don't understand.
He wants a diff. Presidential candidate
Yes... but who? The Republican field was all pretty poor this time around.
Anyone have a time machine to go kidnap McCain circa 2000?
gorgon wrote:Darn those reporters...asking real questions after being invited along.
My advice to the Republican Party would be to start looking for a replacement that they can phase in. If this guy is cracking in July, what's he going to be like in October?
Corrected your typo.
I don't understand.
He wants a diff. Presidential candidate
Yes... but who? The Republican field was all pretty poor this time around.
Anyone have a time machine to go kidnap McCain circa 2000?
Jihadin wrote:Then the same is applied to Obama by your perception?
Yep. It's a sad thing but it should be common knowledge that whenever politicians of this magnitude do something public, it is likely they only do so because it is public.
The only exception I would allow to this "rule" is when said politician has already expressed some sort of honest interest in something before he became influential, so there's at least a chance that he or she might genuinely feel something on the topic. People flying into other countries to honour "foreigners" who died ages ago for a country they have no personal connection to? BS. It's part of some campaign (apparently more about scoring with Poles than at home this time) and everybody knows it. Should know it. In a way, being abused for such ulterior motives is just as dishonouring for those soldiers as having annoying reporters disturbing Mr. Romney's act.
That said, whilst the nature of such appearances is painfully obvious, there is (sometimes) at least something to be gained by how exactly a politician behaved at the scene, possibly allowing you to better guess their personality. Most of them are excellent actors, but I think at times you can actually see whose face behind the mask is uglier by how patronising or arrogant (etc) they appear, or how they react to "unscheduled" events.
Anyhow, in this day and age, nobody should be fooled by baby-kissing anymore. Unfortunately, reality looks somewhat different.
gorgon wrote:Darn those reporters...asking real questions after being invited along.
My advice to the Republican Party would be to start looking for a replacement that they can phase in. If this guy is cracking in July, what's he going to be like in October?
Corrected your typo.
I don't understand.
He wants a diff. Presidential candidate
Ah...got it then.
It does kinda make you wonder about the quality of Romney's advisors. I can barely imagine the pressures of a presidential campaign. But I can say with confidence that if I was the media contact for my company -- and the fortunes of my company depended at least a little on favorable coverage by said media -- then I would be terminated for having that kind of exchange. You're not allowed to have "bad days." And why the heck would they be shutting down Fox? Do they actually want to win?
Reporters need to learn to act like humans every once in a while, rather than seagulls squawking and trying to get at a piece of fish first.
Exalting frazzled`s post in 3...
FAIL.
Lets not pretend Romney doesnt encourage and uses the media when it serves him (its politics 101).
However when you play with fire you get burned sometimes, especially when you or your "servants" have made a habit of saying idiotic things in front of cameras and microphones as of late...
He needs it as much as they need him, so lets not pretend he is some sort of victim here...
Jihadin, you do realize that a) the visit was staged by the campaign, and b) we're talking about Romney's traveling press corps and not some random paparazzi hiding in the bushes, right?
Jihadin, you do realize that a) the visit was staged by the campaign, and b) we're talking about Romney's traveling press corps and not some random paparazzi hiding in the bushes, right?
Yes they were invited along. That does not excuse their action at another nation war memorial for the fallen.
kronk wrote:Buddy Roemer? The guy that was Governor of Louisiana between Edwin Edwards terms?
No thanks...
I'm confused. What does not being able to fix Louisiana after it was dropped in his lap as a minority Governor have to do with anything?
That would be like me suggesting that Obama be passed up upon because he can't "fix" the problems "created" by Bush in office in one term.
Roemer, at least, claims he's interested in political reform and is not a fan of special interests. I haven't heard another candidate, red team OR blue team, making that claim.
Jihadin wrote:How would you take it if someone keeps asking questions at a funeral you attend?
How would you take it if a politician would abuse your funeral to further a political agenda you may not agree to?
I actually think that the reporters should have kept quiet, too - that way, at least some of the attendees would have preserved some dignity. This outburst just made everyone look bad now.
As has been pointed out previously: the best course of action would have been to simply ask them to STFU - quietly.
gorgon wrote:Darn those reporters...asking real questions after being invited along.
My advice to the Republican Party would be to start looking for a replacement that they can phase in. If this guy is cracking in July, what's he going to be like in October?
Corrected your typo.
I don't understand.
He wants a diff. Presidential candidate
Yes... but who? The Republican field was all pretty poor this time around.
Anyone have a time machine to go kidnap McCain circa 2000?
I want the yelling fatman. Bring forth the Christie!
"What does not being able to fix Louisiana after it was dropped in his lap as a minority Governor have to do with anything?"
I'll pass on your loaded question.
As for my issues with Roemer, he did nothing for the state of Louisiana while he was in office. He switched parties during his term because the state had moved to a higher Republican to Democrat ratio.
His dislike of special interest groups is admirable. By all accounts, he was a nice man. But so is my uncle, and he shouldn't be president, either.
Something seems to be getting you upset here, Daedalus. I have no idea what it is.
After Romney paid his respects to Poland's war dead and shook hands with a small gathering of the nation's military veterans, the GOP contender walked approximately 100 yards away from the memorial as he chatted with Warsaw's mayor.
okay
As Romney made his way to his vehicle, reporters attempted to shout questions to the candidate. The former Massachusetts governor, who has answered only three questions from his traveling press corps during a week-long overseas trip, ignored the queries.
I think they were probaly parked behind each other 100 yards from the Monument
Visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in DC and start yelling a hundred feet away.
Politicians visiting a memorial for political reasons deserve what they get. Stage a photo-op and bring reporters along to violate what the memorial is supposed to be about in order to make it look like you have foerign policy experience is not "honoring the war heroes".
Cursing at a memorial is not honoring the war heroes.
kronk wrote:
Something seems to be getting you upset here, Daedalus. I have no idea what it is.
Eh, not really. I guess I seem to be naturally an angry person.
When I said I was confused, I meant it as in genuinely confused, not "facetious internet neckbeard" confused. I don't feel my question was that loaded. Wikipedia states that he WAS minority governor.
Most of what I knew of Roemer I know from his history as a representative and what I've heard since he started campaigning. I actually didn't know squat about Edwards until you referenced it. I looked up Roemer's history as Governor and read a bit about Edwards, and just didn't see anything that damning, which was why I was wondering what I was missing.
As far as the party switch goes, that's a level of politicking that just doesn't affect me one way or another. I don't care about party lines.
Well, I certainly wasn't trying to rile your feathers. As I said, he seemed to be a genuinely good person, to those that worked with him. His legacy was just that of a guy that couldn't get it done, whether fair or not.
On Romney, if those are the press core folks that the Romney "team" brought along, he should have set time aside to answer questions or just not brought them. This wasn't a wonderful European tour.
kronk wrote:"What does not being able to fix Louisiana after it was dropped in his lap as a minority Governor have to do with anything?"
I'll pass on your loaded question.
As for my issues with Roemer, he did nothing for the state of Louisiana while he was in office. He switched parties during his term because the state had moved to a higher Republican to Democrat ratio.
His dislike of special interest groups is admirable. By all accounts, he was a nice man. But so is my uncle, and he shouldn't be president, either.
Something seems to be getting you upset here, Daedalus. I have no idea what it is.
Wasn't he convicted of something he did while in office?
As much as I dislike Romney, in this case I think the aide was 100% correct in what he did. people stating that he was shouting at them obviously haven't watched the video, the aide called them out on their shouting in a calm, quiet manner, even though he may have been raging inside.
If he used it as political stand point by discussing his campaign then yes that would piss quite a few individuals off. Neither Obama or Romney has NOT crossed that line making campaign points by discussing with reporters US Politics at another country war memorial
Did he talk to reporters there at the Polish Fallen Memorial? No he did not so no "politcal points" are gained. I'm sure though he picked up quite a few more Veterans votes for the action of his aide
Jihadin wrote:Did he talk to reporters there at the Polish Fallen Memorial?
He dragged them along so they could video him being there,
I'm not naive or foolish enough to think that it wasn't done for political points. Romney hasn't actually demonstrated he has enough of a soul to really care yet.
Jihadin wrote:Did he talk to reporters there at the Polish Fallen Memorial?
He dragged them along so they could video him being there,
I'm not naive or foolish enough to think that it wasn't done for political points. Romney hasn't actually demonstrated he has enough of a soul to really care yet.
he supports other people's sons serving and dying in war, as long as he can put his money off shore so he doesnt have to pay for it...
Jihadin wrote:Did he talk to reporters there at the Polish Fallen Memorial? No he did not so no "politcal points" are gained. I'm sure though he picked up quite a few more Veterans votes for the action of his aide
His attendance alone gains political points, just like any such action does for just about any politician.
If Easy E is correct about the missile defense program, Romney is obviously trying to garner affection with the Polish people for the dual-purpose of gaining potential votes from the Polish communities in the US as well as paving the road for further negotiations later on, should he succeed in becoming President. The road-paving is at least something that might end up benefitting his country and not just his election campaign, though it still seems somewhat premature.
I am also under no illusion that Romney will visit the nations of the many other troops in ISAF now to honour those soldiers.
No one ever lost points with the right by attacking the press. If one were truly cynical, they might think they dragged the press there after avoiding question for a long time just to yell at them and ingratiate themselves to certain groups by creating the appearance of a) caring about Poland's soldiers and b) telling off the press. But only if one were truly cynical would they consider such things.
Surtur wrote:He's trying to be president, not a celebrity, he needs to answer some questions.
There's a time and a place. I've yet to see any questions that the press asks that are actually meaningful anyway, so who cares? I mean, now the 24 hour stations can cover this 'scandal' and get their ratings anyway.
And saying kiss my ass at a soldier's grave? There's no time and place for that. Romney is on a political tour abroad to show credentials, he's going to be asked political questions. He's more or less blocked himself off from the press and they've asked rather reasonable questions about things he's said. He basically said to Israel that if they start gak, he's right behind them. He called the British Labor Party leader "Mr. Leader."
Jihadin wrote:Maybe to Honor the Fallen from the Polish Batle Grp in Sharona, Afghanistan
Not like Obama mention any of them. Last reference of Obama I heard was him mentioning "Polish Death Camps"
and Hey there SHuma
You don't honor anything by flying there years late and spending 10 minutes giving lip service to people whose deaths you're using to thinly mock Russia. As for Obama, I think he had some stuff to say when the polish government died in a plane crash last year.
Damn I guess I didn't honored the veterans at the 50 year anniversay of Normandy when I jumped in on that. And the following two years after. Majority here are sounding like their incapable nor think anyon else is capable to render honors to any US/Foriegn Fallen. It is lip service for Obama and Romney. Neither know anyone personnely from who died in the current conflicts.
Jihadin wrote:Damn I guess I didn't honored the veterans at the 50 year anniversay of Normandy when I jumped in on that. And the following two years after. Majority here are sounding like their incapable nor think anyone else is capable to render honors to any US/Foriegn Fallen. It is lip service for Obama and Romney. Neither know anyone personnely from who died in the current conflicts.
Coming from a guy who tends to be extremely cynical to politicians I think it is funny that suddenly blind to how politicians use the military to boost their image. Also, you aren't running for high office so there really isn't any reason to believe your motives would be under suspicion. I also doubt that you have 2 Jumbo jets worth off journalists following you around; he isn't some random American that just happened to stop at a War Memorial with press in tow. Either it was calculated as I said above, or it was unprofessional, and neither really are very flattering to his campaign.
Jihadin wrote:Except you don't do it a another country war memorial to their fallen.
It was at a memorial to John Paul II, the former Pope from Poland. At least that's what they said when they showed the video on the news, either way its not right to shout questions at certain places. You shouldn't go up to Obama and shot questions at him as he leaves church or while he's in a graveyard.
Romney is a on press tour. The whole point of his trip is to attract media attention, and show him visiting with various leaders around the world. To show pretend outrage that the media followed him to one such press event because he doesn't have answers prepared for certain media questions is kinda pathetic.
Also, when someone is actually trying to implore people to show people giving respect, they don't start with 'kiss my ass'. That's the kind of thing you say when you're pissed people are asking questions you don't have prepared answers for.
It shocks me not one bit that the usual suspects didn't notice any of that, and actually believed Romney's aide was calling for respect for the dead when they attended this press event.
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Jihadin wrote:I'm strongely leaning towards the reporters are dick for not taking into account where they were at
Yeah, a Romney organised a press event, at which he wanted the media to turn up, but out of respect he didn't want any questions. Or something.
I mean for feth's sake, can you make it at least a little challenging for the GOP to dupe you? Can you make them work to come up with spin doctoring that's at least a little bit plausible?
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Jihadin wrote:Maybe to Honor the Fallen from the Polish Batle Grp in Sharona, Afghanistan
Not like Obama mention any of them. Last reference of Obama I heard was him mentioning "Polish Death Camps"
At this point we've got Jihadin pretending the proper form of respect at a war memorial is to not ask any political questions of a political candidate, but instead tell people to 'kiss my ass'.
Your commitment to defend your political team has made you believe a ridiculous thing, and made you look stupid to anyone that bothers to read this thread. That should worry you Jihadin. That should prompt you to consider if maybe the way you go about your political thinking might be a problem, as it causes you to make, and presumably believe, such ridiculous things.
And yet I doubt it will, in fact I'm quite confident with a week you'll be attempting a defence of Romney or some other Republican that's at least this stupid.
LordofHats wrote:The impression is that even while running for president Romney can't control his own people, which doesn't endear him to the idea of him doing the same while running the country.
We've also already seen Obama trounce one opponent who couldn't maintain a consistent campaign message, or control his people.
Jihadin wrote:Except you don't do it a another country war memorial to their fallen.
Sure you do, that's why you're there. Its not like Romney didn't know he was going to be followed by the travelling press corps, they fly on the same plane and work off an itinerary published by the Romney campaign. If he wanted to pay his respects without the media circus, he could have arranged it. Of course, he didn't want that, he wanted a media event, either of the sort described by Ahtman or one which a top aide handled terribly. In this industry going off message to this degree is gets you fired.
That said, this trip has largely been characterized by Romney's unwillingness to engage with the travelling press, which leaves me suspect as to the competence of his staff. Its not that hard to draw up prepared answers. Though like Ahtman I wouldn't be surprised if this were a ploy to drum up support among ardent conservatives.
Lynata wrote:
The only exception I would allow to this "rule" is when said politician has already expressed some sort of honest interest in something before he became influential, so there's at least a chance that he or she might genuinely feel something on the topic.
Its a bit more than that. People in Mr. Romney's position have large men wearing black suits with underarm holsters to ensure that, if they want privacy, they get it. Moreover, so does the mayor of Warsaw. He could have publicly asked for privacy, or at least no questions, and then let come what may. If the press fails to comply, they just look like donkey-caves.
Lynata wrote: Most of them are excellent actors, but I think at times you can actually see whose face behind the mask is uglier by how patronising or arrogant (etc) they appear, or how they react to "unscheduled" events.
Anyhow, in this day and age, nobody should be fooled by baby-kissing anymore. Unfortunately, reality looks somewhat different.
Actually the subtle use of patronizing arrogance is an excellent way to make someone else look like a fool. Make them think you're insulting them, without doing so explicitly, and you'll come out even at worst; and likely come out on top if they crack.
Ahtman wrote:No one ever lost points with the right by attacking the press. If one were truly cynical, they might think they dragged the press there after avoiding question for a long time just to yell at them and ingratiate themselves to certain groups by creating the appearance of a) caring about Poland's soldiers and b) telling off the press. But only if one were truly cynical would they consider such things.
Delightful. I had not considered that possibility. As evinced by some of the comments here, it's certainly not hurting him with his base.
Has Obama answer questions near the Tomb of the Unknown? He doesn't because A. The Tomb Guard is authorized to enforce the respect and honor accorded for the Tomb regardless of the individual status. B. Its very bad form to use the Tomb as a backdrop amongst the veterans who are still alive to today
Jihadin wrote:Has Obama answer questions near the Tomb of the Unknown? He doesn't because A. The Tomb Guard is authorized to enforce the respect and honor accorded for the Tomb regardless of the individual status. B. Its very bad form to use the Tomb as a backdrop amongst the veterans who are still alive to today
So, what you're saying here is Obama shows more taste and class then Romney by making sure he situates his photo-ops in appropriate places?
Let me go further. What President and/or Candidate have staged public question and answer session with reporters at the Tomb of the Unknown or another Memorial of the same caliber. None. There's a time and a place either can do it. Since Romeny hasn't gone to great length to to do a press conference with the media why is it then a sin for him for not having one near the Polish War Memorial.
I'm going to post a link and lets all stay in the shallow end and not go into the deep in for this. As in example
Why I say to stay shallow on it. Why would anyone open themselves up for an attack on that for either side Ouze no one has done a Q&A at the Tomb of the Unknown or another country war memorial because. Who would be a first is anyone guess. That neither side is doing it is a great thing
Um I'm been pretty much sticking with Q&A with the press at a memorial the entire thread. Where did I lose you?
For the record, I agree. I have no real dog in this fight, I just think his PS was astoundingly unprofessional. Tearing this guy a new one doesn't even begin to describe what I'd do to this chump if I was Romney.
I mean, god****. You're running for POTUS with something like 14 or 15 weeks left before the election, and your PS goes and curses at your own press corps at a staged event, with reporters from conservative-leaning media outlets in the bunch? Again, it's like he doesn't even want Romney to win. Maybe he's a Dem plant or something.
The whole purpose of junkets like this is to show the candidate in a presidential light, interacting with foreign leaders, etc. It's especially important for a guy like Romney who isn't perceived to be strong on foreign affairs. And I think it's safe to say that it's been a bad trip so far. His words (word?) in the UK really weren't that bad...the problem was that they were said at a time when patriotism and pride were running very high there.
So Romney's a little tone-deaf. Fine, that doesn't have to be a fatal flaw and doesn't mean he'd be a bad president. You can work with that if you have good handlers and advisors around him. It's just becoming clearer that probably isn't the case. Why in the blazes would you be keeping even the Fox reporters at arm's length to the point where they're complaining about it? Do you actually want to win? I can't imagine the GOP is happy about stuff like this.
Ouze wrote:
Ahtman wrote:No one ever lost points with the right by attacking the press. If one were truly cynical, they might think they dragged the press there after avoiding question for a long time just to yell at them and ingratiate themselves to certain groups by creating the appearance of a) caring about Poland's soldiers and b) telling off the press. But only if one were truly cynical would they consider such things.
Delightful. I had not considered that possibility. As evinced by some of the comments here, it's certainly not hurting him with his base.
Always a possibility, although I tend to think if it was staged, you wouldn't privately call them later to apologize. If you apologized at all, you probably do it publicly and half-heartedly, making a little show of it that still points the finger at the press being the bad guys.
President 
Ah...got it then.
Again, it's like he doesn't even want Romney to win. Maybe he's a Dem plant or something. 