Romney backs away from Hezbollah citation

Jewish Telegraphic Agency ^ | 08/02/2007 | JTA

[indcons]

Mitt Romney's campaign said Hezbollah was not a proper model for his vision of U.S. diplomacy, addressing a controversy arising from his earlier remarks.

The statement from the campaign for the former Massachusetts governor, a front-runner in the race for the Republican presidential candidacy, came in the wake of a weekend town hall meeting in Iowa in which he cited Hezbollah's social network as a model for reaching hearts and minds.

"Governor Romney believes that bloodthirsty terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas have smothered the progress of the people and nations where they have built their networks, Lebanon serving as an example," spokesman Kevin Madden said. "These terror organizations cannot and should not be allowed to gain an advantage with the citizenry in Muslim nations just because they mask their terror agenda with an offering of some vital services."

Romney had made the comparison in explaining why he would expand on President Bush's AIDS program in Africa, widely regarded as earning goodwill.

"Hezbollah went into southern Lebanon and provided health clinics to some of the people there, and schools. And they built their support there by having done so," Romney said. "That kind of diplomacy is something that would help America become stronger around the world and help people understand that our interest is an interest towards modernity and goodness and freedom for all people in the world."

The National Jewish Democratic Council slammed Romney for those remarks. "Any candidate for President should know that Hezbollah's social programs are inseparably tied to terrorism," it said.

[SJackson]

But you cannot say things without people jumping up and down screaming holy hell....Whatever happened to being unPC around here?

In my view the political commentary here has a distinctly negative character to it. If you don't like Romney, jump on whatever you can find in his statement, irrespective of the value.

And imo he expressed himself poorly, not a good thing for a politician to do.

[Psycheout]

Backpedal, backpeadal! I guess Romney either realizes the American public isn’t ready to emulate Hezbollah or he’s flip flopped (how unusual).

Maybe he’s planning on rolling out HezboCare once he gets elected. No thanks Mittens.

[ran20]

But... just WHO is going to PAY for this?

I think when we commit to a goal like stabilizing Iraq.. the governmetn can look at what makes the most sense to spend money on. So far we mainly buy gee whiz military hardware. Like wings of 250 million planes. But it might be smarter to spend 250 million and build a bunch of hospitals, and medical university. Even 20 million goes an incredibly long way in the third world where a worker gets like 10 dollars a day.

[Gene Eric]

>> >> "gestures the United States should follow is simply ludicrous."

>> The United States is already using such tactics, in Iraq.

You misquoted me. Here's the complete sentence:

To cite the deeds of thugs as emblematic gestures the United States should follow is simply ludicrous.

[Gene Eric]

Sometimes thugs do things effecitvely, and there's nothing wrong with emulating their strategies if they can be used for good instead of evil.

Hitler made the trains run on time. Does that mean making trains run on time is a bad idea?

You have no appreciation for the suffering caused by these evil regimes. Romney's remarks were absolutely, unequivocally disgraceful.

[Gene Eric]

>> Hitler made the trains run on time. Does that mean making trains run on time is a bad idea?

Go here: PoW Dies 67 years After Torture By Nazis

I mention this for context as I'm sure you're at least sympathetic to the atrocities committed by the agents of evil.

[Osage Orange]

you figure out how to stop ER's from providing care to everyone for free and then get back to me.

I would challenge you to provide proof of any ER in the country providing free care to everyone....

I suppose you will get back to me.........

[Elsie]

The solutions may not be perfect yet, but at least someone is trying to come up with a way to make the situaton better.

The only 'solution' I see is that BOTH sides want to take more and more of my money to 'solve' things that people need to 'solve' on their own.

[Elsie]

Either we all become free, or we will go to the greater freedom which is martyrdom.

I'll go along with that 'greater' idea!

[HitmanLV]

The Slickster really stepped in it.

[Elsie]

...you figure out how to stop ER's from providing care to everyone for free and then get back to me.

They HAVE figured it out!

SHUT THEM DOWN!!

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=HPIC,HPIC:2005-18,HPIC:en&q=emergency+room+closing

[Graymatter]

We’d all be in agreement on this thing if John Kerry had said it. But, it’s Romney, a Republican.
Isn’t he.

[TAdams8591]

The U.S. already uses their tactics is MY point.

The change in the quote (it was not a misquote, you posted a fuller quote) makes no difference, to the point I was making.

It was unwise to use them as an example, because of course Romney's enemies would get all hysterical about it, and miss his point.

[TheLion]

Romney did not praise Hamas. If I said We should take a look at Bin Laden’s recruitment methods, that work so well....does that mean I support Bin Laden or his causes....absolutely no. You just missed this one entirely but took a cheap shot at Mitt.

[redgirlinabluestate]

Right. The current system is bankrupting ERs across the country. The current system is not working. Something's got to give. Push personal responsibility based on free market principles through insurance or health savings accounts or continue to pick up the bill for the freeloaders, while more ERs shut down.

I can't believe the resistance to a basically conservative principle. I can't wait to see how people freak out if and when we get Hillary's total government takeover of health care instead. God help us all.

[Elsie]

God help us all.

Yes!

This needs to be our Nation's prayer!

[Osage Orange]

For the record....I see you've not replied.

I will ask again...Do you have proof of any ER providing free care to everyone?

Get back to me....I'm interested.

[Gene Eric]

>> The change in the quote (it was not a misquote, you posted a
>> fuller quote) makes no difference, to the point I was making.

Well you clipped the key aspect of my quote which changed the meaning of my remark. The part you clipped was

To cite the deeds of thugs ...

which was key to my criticism. The techniques used by the forces of good and evil are issues unto themselves. To state that good people should adopt the techniques of evil people is something altogether different.

I like Romney, but his remarks were certainly careless and raises the flag of caution. Too many politicians utter nonsense as if it's free without consequence. The wisdom behind Mitt's words was sorely absent.

[redgirlinabluestate]

LOL. OK, I ignored you because either you are incredibly obtuse or you are being disingenuous about not knowing what I meant. I was guessing the latter. But let me make it perfectly clear now.

Free healthcare is provided in our ERs to EVERYONE WHO CAN'T AND/OR WON'T PAY.

And we, the taxpayers, end up paying for it one way or another.

[Osage Orange]

LOL...you are a hoot.

But, I will and can assure you..I'm neither obtuse...nor disingenuous. HA!!

I replied to exactly what you posted. I'm no word-smith. I'm no mind-reader. All I did was question your exact statement.

Pretty plain to me....that you said what you said..and I questioned it. IF, you differ with that, then blaze away....

Words do mean things......

FWIW-