Posted on 09/12/2012 9:12:16 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Journalists Freak Out as Romney Condemns Obama's Handling of Libya By Scott Whitlock Created 09/12/2012 - 11:43am
Angry journalists repeatedly lashed out at a defiant Mitt Romney, Wednesday, pushing the Republican to renounce his criticism of Barack Obama's handling of the crisis developing in Libya. In a statement on Tuesday, the presidential candidate slammed the administration's "disgraceful" response to the attacks on the U.S. embassy in Libya, which ended with the murder of embassador Chris Stevens.
An unidentified reporter complained, "The statement from the President was a very toughly worded statement last night. Do you regret the tone at all, given what we know now?" Another asked, given how quickly events were unfolding, was it "appropriate to be weighing in as this as this crisis is unfolding in real time? " The same question came again and again, a total of seven times. [See a video montage below. MP3 audio here.]
An off-camera journalist loudly attacked, "Governor, some people have said that you jumped the gun a little in putting that statement out last night and that you should have waited until more details were available. Um, do you regret having that statement come out so early before we learned about all of the things that were happening?"
[Note: all reporters were off-camera and unidentified.]
The Washington Post described the original document put out by the U.S. embassy in Egypt:
During the protest in Cairo but hours before the attacks in Libya, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo issued a statement saying that it condemns “the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims — as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions.”
Romney refused to back down, insisting, "It's their administration. Their administration spoke. The President takes responsibility not just for the words that come from his mouth, but also the words that come from his ambassadors."
Still, the same question came again: "If you had known last night that the ambassador died, and, obviously, I'm gathering you did not know- If you had known that the ambassador had died, would you have issued such a strongly issued statement?"
Romney defended his condemnation of the President's handling, asserting that "having that embassy effectively apologizing for the right of free speech is not the right course of an administration."
A transcript of the questions from Romney's September 12 press conference, which aired live on MSNBC:
10:19
REPORTER #1 (male): The statement from the President was very toughly worded statement last night. Do you regret the tone at all, given what we know now?
REPORTER # 2 (female): Governor Romney, do you think, though, coming so soon after the events, really, had unfolded overnight was appropriate to be weighing in as this as this crisis is unfolding in real time?
...
REPORTER #3 (female): So what did the White House do wrong then, Governor, Romney, if they put out a statement-
MITT ROMNEY: It's their administration. Their administration spoke. The President takes responsibility not just for the words that come from his mouth, but also the words that come from his ambassadors, from his administration, from his embassy, from his State Department. They clearly sent mixed messages to the world.
...
REPORTER (male) #3: You talk about mixed signals. The world is watching. Isn't this itself a mixed signal when you criticize the administration at a time when Americans are being killed? Shouldn't politics stop- [garbled]
...
REPORTER (female) #4: Governor, some people have said that you jumped the gun a little in putting that statement out last night and that you should have waited until more details were available. Um, do you regret having that statement come out so early before we learned about all of the things that were happening?
ROMNEY: I don't think we ever hesitate when we see something which is a violation of our principles...Having that embassy effectively apologizing for the right of free speech is not the right course of an administration.
REPORTER #5 (male): If you had known last night that the ambassador died, and, obviously, I'm gathering you did not know- If you had known that the ambassador had died, would you have issued such a strongly issued statement?
REPORTER #6: How specifically, Governor Romney, would a President Romney have handled the situation differently than President Obama?
Romney’s answer to Stenographer#6......send in the Marines.
Mark Halperin tweeted this: “Unless Mitt has gamed crisis out in some manner completely invisible to Gang of 500, doubling down=most craven + ill-advised move of ‘12.”
The lib media knows Obama looks like a disaster here (along with the bounce fading fast), so here comes the attacks from the media on Romney again (to distract).
The media is corrupt.
They’ll do anything to protect and sanctify their “god.” Nuff said
you can tell by the squeals of the liberals that Romney scored a direct hit
>> REPORTER #6: How specifically, Governor Romney, would a President Romney have handled the situation differently than President Obama?
That’s a fair question, although of course it was intended as a trap.
All the rest of the “reporters’” questions were transparent attacks. The media isn’t even attempting to hide their raw bias anymore.
Actually, I thought Mitt did okay, and head and shoulders better than Barry. At least he took questions! Who were those reporters? They were attacking like sharks in bloody water.
Hahahahahaha....
MITTENS TAKES THE GLOVES OFF ... PRESS PEES ITSELF.
I think it’s a good headline. They really don’t like seeing an agressive candidate. They were hoping they could intimidate him and get another McCain style defeat on their hands.
Don’t back down Mr. Romney.
Can anyone clarify what the Guy Fawkes masks symbolize?
Will anyone have the nards to mention that this was another attack on the US on 9.11? Following, of course 9.11.2001. Following, of course, the Siege of Vienna, when the Winged Hussars et al. beat the snot out of the Muslims on 9.11.1683.
1. The statement Romney criticized last evening was the State Dept. response to the attack on the Egyptian embassy. Clinton has since doubled-down on that statement.
2. The administration also claimed that statement wasn’t approved by them.
3. It was not known the ambassador to Libya had been killed at the time.
4. Obama made no public remarks regarding the Libyan situation until this morning.
5. Obama has yet to remark on the Egyptian situation.
6. Obama is on his way to Las Vegas to campaign.
MSM, go to Hell!
I listened to part of this on KPBS this am. Had to stop because I was laughing so hard and I thought I might drive off the road. I think it was the one woman”reporter” with the fake British accent who pretended not to know about all the bowing that Urkel had done to everyone and anything except our flag.
I just watched a few minutes of MSNBC. They couldn’t scream long enough or loud enough about Romney’s “inappropriate” comments.
When is a republican ever going to learn how to respond to “Some people say”.....even Palin wouldn’t do it. All they have to say is “Some people say? Who said it? When you tell me who said that, then I’ll explain. Because my response may be different depending on WHO said it.”
Bet not one of these vermin will ask Urkel if sending in the Marines was forced because of Romney’s stance.
inappropriate, irresponsible, reckless, naive, dangerous, again and again and again.
They must know how damaging this is to the messiah, they are truly freaking out!!!
MSNBC is all DNC talking points, all the time.
This will have morphed into a “gaffe” by the end of business today.
Romney should have attacked the main problem namely Obama helping to force the revolution in Egypt and Libya just like that idiot Carter did in Iran back in the 70s
Kerry in a snit saying this is no time to pull political punches.
Stand tall Romney, you got Lurch upset !
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