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Monday, July 30, 2012

2012 Mitt Romney's Failtastic World Tour Continues

Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Jul 30, 2012 at 10:56 AM

Mitt Romney's failures did not end on the shores of the United Kingdom, although they did get a little less slapstick-y. So here's what we've missed. Before Romney even landed in Israel, one of his advisers seemed to pre-approve an attack on Iran, according to Mother Jones.

An adviser's vague remark to reporters here left the press scrambling for nearly three hours this morning to determine whether Romney had promised to commit American forces or other support to a hypothetical Israel strike on Iran.

Romney ran away from that promise as quickly as he could. And then, according to Politico, he almost immediately insulted Palestinians:

Mitt Romney told Jewish donors Monday that their culture is part of what has allowed them to be more economically successful than the Palestinians, outraging Palestinian leaders who suggested his comments were racist and out of touch with the realities of the Middle East. His campaign later said his remarks were mischaracterized.

So then Romney moved on to something less controversial—he praised Israel's socialized health care program.

"When our health care costs are completely out of control. Do you realize what health care spending is as a percentage of the GDP in Israel? 8 percent. You spend 8 percent of GDP on health care. And you’re a pretty healthy nation," Romney told donors at a fundraiser at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, speaking of a health care system that is compulsory for Israelis and funded by the government.

What's happening, here? Why can't Romney say anything right on this foreign policy trip, which is supposed to showcase his competence as a prospective Commander-in-Chief? Andrew Sullivan points to the latest thinking, which suggests that Romney's career experience is all about destroying relationships, not building them up. That's not the best skill set for a job that requires diplomacy. My theory is that Mitt Romney is entirely unlikable.

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Romney: Jews are good with money.

Posted by seatackled on July 30, 2012 at 11:12 AM

Unlikable? More like detestable snob.

Posted by Pope Peabrain on July 30, 2012 at 11:18 AM

Oh my god, check this out--apparently unlikeable to everyone!

“Israel’s current prime minister is not just a friend, he’s an old friend,” Mitt Romney, with whom Netanyahu worked at the Boston Consulting Group in the 1970s, told aipac in March.

Mitt and Bibi: BFFs!

Except no one told Bibi.

“I remember him for sure, but I don’t think we had any particular connections,” he tells me. “I knew him and he knew me, I suppose.”

http://crooksandliars.com/blue-texan/bib…

Posted by seatackled on July 30, 2012 at 11:23 AM

Hilarious.

Palestinians are widely hated throughout the Arab world because they're skilled and well educated. So, when Palestinians emigrate to Saudi Arabia, for example, the Saudis accuse them of stealing all the jobs.

Mittens' level of fail is staggering.

Posted by keshmeshi on July 30, 2012 at 11:26 AM

while mitt's a jerk, it's true that culture can affect a group's economic performance, among many other variables.

on an individual level? also true, ifyou don't value work, study, getting ahead, if you gather the rosebuds as you may, um, sometimes this means you get left behind.

Posted by ant to grasshopper on July 30, 2012 at 11:27 AM

Provided that his statements are accurate about health care in Israel, I don't see how he "say anything right." I mean, I guess he can't say anything right *for a republican candidate,* but otherwise I think it was a fair statement.

Posted by doceb on July 30, 2012 at 11:28 AM

When are the debates? When when when I'm sooo excited

Posted by Foonken2

on July 30, 2012 at 11:44 AM

@6 - Consistency is a pretty important factor to saying the "right things." Unless this statement indicates a complete turnaround on his healthcare position, it was an incredibly stupid thing to say. If you accept his premise that healthcare should be privatized entirely and (federal) government should stay out of it, praising the healthcare of any country with socialized, universal healthcare is, at best, a sign of a stroke or the onset of dementia.

Posted by MacCrocodile

on July 30, 2012 at 12:03 PM

The Israeli healthcare system is one of the best in the world, without question. They have benefits that we can only dream about here, and it costs them far less than what we pay.

Why is it that we can't just drop the age restriction on Medicare and allow people to pay for that coverage?

Posted by Original Andrew on July 30, 2012 at 12:16 PM

Never thought I would say this, but I would vote for Bush over Romney. At least Bush is genuine, not a weather vane. Christ what a fucked up country.

Posted by Lew Siffer on July 30, 2012 at 12:28 PM

I’m seriously starting to wonder if Mittens if fucktarded.

Posted by Original Andrew on July 30, 2012 at 12:29 PM

My theory is that Mitt Romney is a total fucking wanker. An entitled fucking wanker. Wank wank wank.

Posted by TVDinner

on July 30, 2012 at 1:01 PM

@10 You're right: Bush was a genuine idiot, whereas Romney will be anything to anyone.

I'm wondering if any of those Israeli hawks know about Romney's church (the one he tithes to) posthumous baptizing of Jews? I'm sure that'll be a big selling point for 'em.

Posted by Some Old Nobodaddy Logged In on July 30, 2012 at 1:04 PM

Time to end "religious" exemptions for the Draft.

Like the one Comrade Romney used while he lived in a French Castle, avoiding Vietnam military service.

Just saying.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on July 30, 2012 at 1:04 PM

@10 and @12 tied for the Win.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on July 30, 2012 at 1:05 PM

@13

I'd like to see question like that being worked in:

"As an elder of your Church and if you win, as the leader of the nation, what would you do to stop the practice among some members of your Church to stop posthumous baptisms of Jewish Holocaust victims?"

Posted by seatackled on July 30, 2012 at 1:11 PM

"Mitt Romney told Jewish donors Monday that their culture is part of what has allowed them to be more economically successful than the Palestinians,"

Well, he's right about that anyway.

Posted by Reader01 on July 30, 2012 at 1:34 PM

@1: exactly my thought on it too. Everyone's focused on the dig against the Palestinians - and it's definitely there - and totally missing the classic "Jews are all about the money" stereotype.

Posted by NateMan on July 30, 2012 at 1:35 PM

The Obama campaign should hammer him on praising Israel's socialized health care system while simultaneously opposing any government involvement in our health care.

Posted by venomlash on July 30, 2012 at 3:52 PM

@3 - That's awesome.

Posted by Free Lunch on July 30, 2012 at 8:29 PM

Still, Romney seems to be steadily inching up the polls, probably because the impression he's giving off--that he gives no fucks about anyone, foreign or domestic--plays well with the "bitter, angry husk" demographic.

Posted by Fistique on July 30, 2012 at 9:52 PM