Libya Crisis; Big Mitt Fail

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I understand at least 50 Marines are on their way to Libya to provide additional security for the U.S. Embassy. It always worries me to read that U.S. troops are being sent anywhere; I hope the situation doesn’t escalate.

This brings us to Mittens, who politicized events in Libya even as they were unfolding. Here is a timeline of who said what, and when.

Although I am sure there are righties defending Mitt, others usually in his corner are distancing themselves. Other Republicans are issuing statements condemning the attacks but not mentioning President Obama. Steve Benen writes,

Mark Halperin, a barometer of the political establishment’s attitudes, called this the “most craven” and “ill-advised move” of the 2012 campaign.

It’s just remarkable to see Romney unravel like this. Within hours of learning that a respected U.S. ambassador had been killed by a violent mob overseas, the Republican’s first instinct was to launch a partisan campaign attack against the president. It came after a dishonest smear of the president last night — on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, when Romney said he’d refrain from such attacks.

The nine-minute clip is well worth your time. Just two minutes in, Romney condemned messages from officials under attack in the U.S. embassy in Cairo, falsely accusing them “apologizing for our values.”

Romney noted that the White House distanced itself from the same messages, which only made this morning’s statement that much more misguided — Romney was, simultaneously, saying the White House is wrong, the White House is right, and the White House is sending “mixed signals.”

This is the video Steve Benen is referring to:

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You hear Mittens getting basic facts wrong; he still thinks that the Embassy’s original statement came after the attack on the embassy, and not before. And it’s a real hoot to hear Mittens criticize the Obama Administration on foreign policy, after one of Mitt’s adviser’s called foreign policy a “distraction.”

Howard Kurtz is signalling Mittens to zip his lip.

By slamming the Obama administration as the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed in Libya, the Republican nominee has given the appearance of exploiting an international tragedy. Whether his criticism is warranted or not, the timing seems insensitive—as if Romney is more interested in scoring political points than mourning the deaths of U.S. diplomats.

Ya think? I say this is going to wound Mitt’s campaign.

See also Steve Konarcki, “Mitt’s Shameful Libya Statement“; Josh Marshall, “When You Learn They’re Not Ready“; James Fallows, “Three Quick Points on the Libya Killings.”

One more thing — I’m seeing a lot of sentiment that we must stand up for the right of free speech, which I assume means the ignorant yahoos who made the video defaming Mohammad are above criticism. Well, they certainly are above arrest. They didn’t do anything illegal. Whatever it was they produced should not be subject to censorship by the government.

However, freedom of speech doesn’t include a freedom from criticism. I would like to exercise my free speech rights by speaking my mind, except that there are no words for now disgusted I am with the filmmaker-flamethrowers. They should be ashamed.

33 thoughts on “Libya Crisis; Big Mitt Fail”

  2. If this wounds Mitt, let’s hope it a fatal wound.

    Romney would have been better served if he’d waited until AFTER the POTUS and SoS spoke.
    He looked opportunistic and unpatriotic, jumping in beween Clintons and Obama’s statements, to criticize the President and administration.
    And then, when he finally DID speak, to leave politics out of it – like our President did.

    And he had the audacity to talk about the “message” the President sends, or doesn’t, to the rest of the world.

    You know what message the rest of the world got today, if they didn’t get it before, Mitt?
    That you ain’t ready for prime time, and that you’re unworthy of leading The UNITED States of America.

    Jumping in to politic a tragedy is unseemly and disgraceful. And hopefully, people will see that.

    Mitt – proving once again, voters would be crazy to try fit that square, into an Oval Office.

  3. However, freedom of speech doesn’t include a freedom from criticism.

    You know, it’s funny. The “hate-ier” an expression is, the quicker some people are not merely to defend it, but to advocate that the expression be widely disseminated. Lovely folks.

    HuffPo has found exactly three Repugs who went out on that teetering limb to slam Obama for not doing enough I mean saying the wrong thing oh wait no doing too much too soon yeah, that’s the ticket. And those three people were:

    1) Candidate Romney;
    2) her perpetual gloriousness Sarah Palin; and
    3) Rinsus Anrepeatus, aka Rincewind Prius, GOP Chairwizard.

    I think Mittens should suspend his campaign to go deal with this sh*t right now, just like McCain did when the economy crashed. Then… blessed silence.

  4. “there are no words for now disgusted I am with the filmmaker-flamethrowers. They should be ashamed.”

    Sorry Maha, this is exactly what the filmmaker-flamethrowers were hoping for, and they got their wish. They are more likely to be proud of themselves than ashamed! It is the rest of us who need to make sure these folks are treated like the lowlife they are!

  5. Aaaand it gets weirder:

    UPDATE: U.S. officials have told The New York Times and CNN that the deadly consulate attack in Benghazi, Libya, which killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, may have been planned in advance.

    According to the CNN report, “attackers used the protest outside the consulate as a diversion,” though sources “could not say whether the attacker instigated the protest or merely took advantage of it.”

    (From Huffington Post. CNN indicates the actual attack may have come from an al Qaeda splinter in Libya, but I’m not sure I trust anything CNN says. Off to fact-check them now.)

  7. FAUX SNOOZE, as expected, condemned the Obama Administration for not pouring additional gasoline on the conflagration (and, by extension, backing Mitt’s courageous patriotic stand).

    How do these people remember to breathe?

  8. Everyone do be sure to visit that link Gulag provided, and see the photo of Mittens and his post-clustercoital smirk.

    Clueless Thurston Howell III is indeed clueless, lovey. Wow.

    Meanwhile, I’m thinking, Dear Mr. President: Ignore him, sir. Just. Ignore. Him. Get on with your job, and let everyone see how much better you are than your opponent. Bearhugs, Joan.

  9. OT – but well worth the read.
    It’s about how another person left the Republican Party, and joined the rest of us in ‘the reality-based world.’

    http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175590/tomgram%3A_jeremiah_goulka%2C_confessions_of_a_former_republican/

    You sometimes almost want to laugh at his discoveries about the Conservative mindset.
    But don’t.
    We need to encourage whatever people like Jeremiah Goulka’s are still in the Republican Party.

    Consider reading this as a salve for a day full of ‘teh stoooopid.’

  10. I am really pissed that Candidate Romney is tapdancing on the graves of four US diplomats. No that’s inaccurate. They haven’t been burried – their bodies are still warm. Which only makes his craven, smug, political opportunism all the more disgusting.

    The polls will tell if this backfired on him. I’m not sure the media will play nice on this – Mitt may have crossed a line of decency that even political pundits will condemn. If so.. he will fall further in the polls, and the actions of the political far right will become even more desperate.

    At some point, when the really kooky fringe realizes that they have no chance through the electoral process, there will be violence. The question is where and what form it will take. Buckle your seat belts – this may be a bumpy flight from here to the point of sanity somewhere over the horizon.

  11. post-clustercoital

    I love it, Joan…I’m gonna record that in my lexicon. It elevates the dialogue. Rolls off the tongue, and is easy on the ears. Class!

  12. As usual, President Obama puts it best, saying “Governor Romney seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later.”
    Here’s a snippet from a CBS interview:

    “There’s a broader lesson to be learned here,” Mr. Obama told “60 Minutes” correspondent Steve Kroft. “And I think — you know, Governor Romney seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later. And as president, one of the things I’ve learned is you can’t do that. That, you know, it’s important for you to make sure that the statements that you make are backed up by the facts. And that you’ve thought through the ramifications before you make ’em.”

    Asked if Romney’s attacks were irresponsible, the president replied, “I’ll let the American people judge that.”

    http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57511601-503544/obama-romney-shoots-first-aims-later/

    Yes, I think the American people will judge that, Mitt – and not too kindly.

  13. Don’t forget that Mitt is egging on Bibi to create problems for Obama. Consequences be damned…Mitt is a low life opportunist scumbag, and his so called love for America is shining brightly.

  14. OT…Ann Romney is here speaking in Florida( Largo),erinyes’ old stomping grounds. She’s on a Women for Mitt tour and, she says she wants women to” believe her” Isn’t believing what somebody says the default mode for when you first meet somebody?

    I’m tempted to cross dress and crash her little shit fest. Except I can’t fit into my wife’s pantyhose.

  15. Oh, and “The Whore of Babblin’-on”couldn’t resist, and had to throw in her idiotic, Alaskan trailer-park trash $0.02 in on this subject:
    “…America can’t afford any more “leading from behind” in such a dangerous world. We already know that President Obama likes to “speak softly” to our enemies. If he doesn’t have a “big stick” to carry, maybe it’s time for him to grow one.”

    http://wonkette.com/483965/sarah-palin-wishes-barack-obama-had-a-bigger-penis

    Hmm…
    It sounds like Sarah ‘Von Schtupp’ wants to see what the President is packing, and how he’d lead from behind.

    “”Is it true what they say about the way you people are gifted? Zzzzzzzip! Oh it’s Twue…. it’s twue…. it’s twue!”

  16. Here’s a little bible tidbit that is apropos concerning Romney’s little political scheme..WHAT SATAN MEANT FOR EVIL,GOD WILL USE FOR GOOD.

    Ok, enough..I’ll behave.

  17. WOW!.. I commented without viewing the video clip.

    Romney’s sincerity for the loss of life was just overwhelming. I shouldn’t be shocked knowing Romney like I do… but I’m shocked to the core. Never have I seen such a disgusting display of humanity.

    Vulture capitalist who will even turn human suffering into political capital. Piss on him!

  18. Sad that we had to lose people overseas for the public to see Mitt’s true colors. I hope a few people’s eyes are opened and the message “not ready to lead” comes through loud and clear. Really glad to have a president with class, you know, the one the rest of world respects.

    Gulag – LOL re your take on Sarah Dipshit – “it’s twue..it’s twue!!” A comment like hers just invites this kind of retort.

    I read the thoughtful Jeremiah Goulka piece a few days ago, and can think of a few former Republican family members who either need to see it, or could’ve written something like it themselves.

  19. moonbat,
    I’ve come to the conclusion that after watching her for a little over 4 years, Sarah Palin is by far the greatest Performance Artist of ALL TIME!

    And that, not Twain, not Mencken, not even Robert Penn Warren, on blotter acid, after smoking some heavy-duty Jamaican ganja, and drinking a liter of tequila, could ever have created a character like her.

    She is the America’s 21st Century Betsy Ross, busy stitching together bizarre bullsh*t and self-serving, outright mendacity.

    All I can say is, that for the sake of this country, her much over-extended 15 minutes, had better soon be up.

  22. Moonbat – I dearly hope that is a Moderate/Conservative trend. The set of polls after this dust-up will be more interesting to me that any post-convention bounce.

  25. I was one who thought that Mitt was the best choice for the country if the repubs were somehow able to win in Nov. I thought he was a moderate at heart, taken from his time in MA. But, my gawd, this clown is awful. Where’s the post-convention tac to the center? I’m one who thinks that when it comes to foreign policy, we need to back away and let the prez do his thing. We need to be very careful with our criticism because of the position it puts him and our country in. There are often things going on behind the scenes that the public can’t know but the prez has to consider and act on. Also, because of the position it often times will put our troops in. Even under the Bushreich, I was never comfortable with things like Olberman’s rants or his Special Commentary. Bush was, is, and will always be our worst president of all time, but we had troops in the field and the country itself to consider. Please, use some discretion. I’m one who believes that the right’s response to Libya, including Mitt, has been nothing short of treasonous. Their cozying up to Bibi as a way to discredit Obama is treasonous. But while I used to think we may be able to fumble through a four year term of Mitt, now I believe it may be the end of our country as we know it.

  26. buckeyblue,
    Mitt only seemed moderate because he was running for office in MA. Had he been running in UT, or the South, he’s have been the “very Conservative” he now claims to be.

    Mitt’s an a vessel empty of all beliefs, except the belief in his own superiority, and that any deal needs to be closed, by whatever means necessary, if it profits him, his family, and his cronies.
    Workers, companies, whole industries, be damned – if there’s a profit in it, the deal must be closed. And, for any deal that may profit him to be closed, the ends justify the means. ‘The deal’s the thing!’

    And so, as a politician who has no core beliefs, he will do the expedient and profitable thing to get himself elected, and then reelected.
    Once in power, if he has a Repubican House and Senate, Mitt will autmatically sign whatever is put before him – he will be beholden to the base that got him elected, and the very rich people who funded his win through Super PAC’s.

    A Mitt Presidency would be a disaster for this country – but particularly if he has a Republican Congress. They will finish the job of killing the middle class that was started under Nixon. And they will work feverishly to entrench the US in one party, Republican, rule.

    I hate to quote myself, but here’s what I wrote at Gin & Tacos yesterday:

    If we get President Romney with a Republican House AND Senate, look for voter suppression to become codified into law, and we return to the Apartheid America we had prior to the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965 – which will be immediately overturned, if Republicans DO win this November.

    Once sworn in in January of 2013, they’ll work to repeal the CRA’s of ’64 and ’65, after which the House and Senate will pass something called the “Freedom to Vote Act,” or “The’ Right’ to Vote Act (where, literally, only a person from the ‘right’-wing will be allowed TO VOTE),” a voter suppression law, with a suitable cutsie name; President Romney will sign the law; and the challenges that will surely happen, will be turned down by the Conservative Supreme Court, time after time – since the SC will consist of larger and larger Conservative majorities, thanks to the people he and his Senate will put in there.

    Not to get all breakin’ Godwin’s Law on everybody this early in the morning, but the Nazi’s used the existing representative democratic system to inflitrate and then control the government – and we all know how that turned out, don’t we?

    Within a decade, we could easily all be living, those that are still living, in a totalitarian Dominionist Christian Fascist Plutocracy.

    Do I know for a fact that that will happen?
    No.

    But, if enough people stay home on Election Day, and enough are turned away, and enough vote for a 3rd Party, or enough decide to vote for Romney in the hopes that the coming implosion of Conservatism will result in some Liberal Utopia, it might.

    So, why take that chance?

    Get out and vote – yes, for existing flawed Democrats in your races.

    Sure, there a a ton of Corporatists in the ranks of the Democratic Party, but at least they don’t try to appeal directly to the religiously insane racists, misogynists, xenophobes, and/or homophobes, like the other party does.

    We can always work on fixing the Democrats – if we can survive the Republicans.

  27. A commenter at Booman referred to Mitt as “Money Boo Boo”. I wish I had come up with that.

    Love it.

    This morning (Thu.) NPR presented a lot of information coming to light on the makers of this anti-Islamic film that Mitt so staunchly defended, going so far as to envelop it amongst “our values.” Turns out the film’s backing came from white-supremacist “Christian” hate groups. Shoot first, aim later, indeed.

    There goes Money Boo Boo!

  28. It’s been quite the 9/11 season, hasn’t it? Let me summarize the insanity, as I understand it so far.

    First, the ostensible cause. A certain individual, calling himself Sam Bacile, made an incoherent hate video, insulting a billion people. He claimed to be Jewish and an Israeli; he is not, nor is Sam Bacile his real name. The bigot, hiding behind a fake name, religion and nationality, posted his video botch to You-Tube, where it was picked up by another outrage-monger; a Moslem radio cleric who took loud offense. Angry mobs gathered at embassies, apparently unaware that they thus proved their own cultural insecurity.

    All standard folly; but worse madness was at work. For months earlier, America killed, by drone strike, Al Qaeda’s #2 man, a Libyan. Al Qaeda vowed revenge, and awaited their opportunity. This arrived, thanks to a bigot and a radio cleric. Al Qaeda’s heavily-armed fighters joined and then supplanted the protest; then they started a military-style assault on the embassy, including mortar fire. They killed the ambassador and three others; vengeance was theirs.

    Before the assault, someone in the embassy attempted to calm the situation by issuing a distancing tweet. This proved futile, as the real threat was not from spontaneous mob chaos, but from a terrorist plan. The Republican nominee for President called that tweet Presidential weakness; thus politicizing the event. When informed of his factual errors, he followed GOP SOP by doubling down.

    ***

    Wow, what a perfect stupidity-storm. About “Sam Bacile”, I propose that we counter his craven and hateful free speech with some free speech of our own; namely that we turn his pseudonym into a _word_; and let “sambacile” (alt. sp. sambecile) mean an imbecile who is also a bigot and a liar. His frenemy, the radio cleric, is another sambecile; and by doubling down Romney proved his own sambecility.

    Compared to them, Al Qaeda looks smart. They vowed vengeance; they had a plan; they waited; and they seized an opportunity. Obama, also smart, played it with his characteristic cool. The Libyan government issued an apology to the USA and condemnation for the attack; they know who their real enemies are. The Egyptians, who had mob chaos but not an Al Qaeda plot, took longer to do the same. So not everybody involved is a sambecile. Thank goodness!

    I hear that there’s more protests, now in Yemen. O brother. But I also hear that some protesters denounce both insults and violence. Fine.

    But it seems to me that the Moslems are missing an opportunity. How does one respond to a bigot’s insults? My modest proposal; pray for his soul. Publicly implore the deity to open his eyes, clear his mind, and cleanse the hatred from his heart. In short, take the high road. It’s passive-aggressive, but that’s what’s called for. It’s also what the Buddhists did when the Taliban demolished some Buddha statues; a classy move, worth imitating.

  29. Paradoctor:
    I’m SOOOOOOOOO F’in sick of that IDIOT preacher from Gainsville and now his friend “Sam Bacile” (and their followers). I wish we could send them to Singapore for a good caning. Just 10 or so hard swats to televise in the Muslim world. Let the whole world know we will no longer tolerate these provacateurs.
    Oh, and publically flog Netanyahoo, that smug little thug who is threatening the world with nuclear war. Did I mention that I HATE that little twit?

  32. erinyes:
    No, no, no, no, no. Remember the First Amendment. I understand the feeling; other people’s free speech sucks sometimes; but do you really want the GOP to have the power to cane you?

    Use your own free speech instead. Call them the idiots that they are. Sharpen your tongue. It’s not as emotionally satisfying as censorship, but it works out better in the long run, and that’ll just have to do.

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