Mitt Romney's world tour seen as open to interpretation

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
8/1/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Supporters say trip was successful while others point to several crucial missteps

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is winding up his world tour in Poland, which included stops in Britain and Israel. Romney's team is confident that there were no gaffes or missteps made on the trip, although there are those who beg to differ. While forceful and confident, many felt that Romney's speeches trod upon some sensitive toes while he was abroad.

While forceful and confident, many felt that Mitt Romney's speeches trod upon some sensitive toes while he was abroad.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Beginning in Great Britain, Romney made some remarks about the opening of the Olympics that rubbed several people the wrong way. Seeking to shine the light Romney successfully managed the Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002, Romney publicly questioned whether London was ready to host the Summer Olympic Games.

This didn't sit well with British Prime Minister David Cameron who replied that it was far more difficult to organize the Olympics in a world capital than in the "middle of nowhere," an allusion to Romney's Games in Salt Lake City. London tabloids dubbed Romney "Mitt the Twit."

Moving on to Israel, Romney reiterated the U.S.'s commitment to Israel's right to exist and the danger of a nuclear-armed Iran.

However, Romney inflamed Palestinians leaders with his talk of Jerusalem as the undisputed capital of Israel. A comment at a fundraiser Romney made about a "culture" can partly explain the economic disparity between Israelis and Palestinians, fueled the already roiling bad feelings felt there.

Romney took only three questions from the journalists after his overseas trip.

In the estimation of Mitt Romney and his top campaign aides, there were no gaffes, no mistakes and no ill-advised statements on the Republican candidate's overseas trip.

As Romney wrapped up the last leg of his tour in Poland, a senior Romney adviser said the campaign will land back in the U.S. this week.

"I think it was a great success," Romney adviser Stuart Stevens said. "The idea is that, can people get a good sense of who he is? Can people listen and see that this is a person speaking from the heart about Israel and about Poland? And he is," Stevens added.

The Romney campaign talked of its "great success" while being bombarded by criticism over moments that did not go so well.

In Poland, it was not Romney - but his travelling press secretary that made an inappropriate comment. After Romney paid tribute at the Polish Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, journalists tried to field questions, only to be shouted down by the campaign's traveling press secretary.

"Kiss my ---. This is a holy site," Rick Gorka barked at one reporter. "Shove it," he said to another. Gorka later called two reporters and apologized.

� 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Mitt Romney, Poland, Great Britain, Israel, missteps

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1 - 2 of 2 Comments

Larry
9 months ago
If Obama can praise the Arab countries in the past and ignore Israel, thus offending them and many others concerned with Israel's security, If Obama can insult the English by returning the bust of Churchill and not caring about the gifts he gives the royals, then Romney can do no wrong. What Romney said about the Olympics is what the English press has been complaining about before he said it and that issue is still a concern for the English press after he said it and his concern was correct. It is values of a cultre that makes a difference as to why some are successful and some are not that is sustainable and adaptable in the world stage. Read a recent book called "Civilization" which explains one view about why the West succeeded and the rest did not in the near past - though more other countries are catching up. Romney did great - the liberal press just can't take it!
techwreck
9 months ago
Catholic Online says, "... there were no gaffes or missteps made on the trip, although there are those who beg to differ."

It was pretty clear that the liberal media had a goal of portraying the Romney trip as a failure from the beginning. The disgraceful behavior of reporters at the Polish Tomb of the Unknown Soldier should remove any doubt on the part of thinking readers.

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