# Mitt Romney's speech: What war? What troops? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 31, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273 "2012-08-31T16:22:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/1 "2012-08-31T16:22:46Z")
In the 12 painful minutes he was speaking, Clint Eastwood actually mentioned very, very few specific things. These included job creation and the war in Afghanistan (which he appeared to suggest we should pull out of, eliciting a cheer from a crowd that would be more typically expected to endorse a “these colors don’t run” sort of position). This was noteworthy because in Mitt Romney’s 4,000 word speech, not only did he not mention Afghanistan, he didn’t mention Iraq, and he didn’t even have a passing reference to active duty military or veterans. While Bill Kristol is troubled by this ([http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/what-war\_651279.html](http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/what-war_651279.html)), I haven’t seen a whole lot of mention of this anywhere. The pointed omission of respect or even acknowledgement of the military is something you would expect from a strawman fictional liberal, not from the Republican candidate for President during his nomination acceptance speech. What gives? ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/2 "2012-08-31T16:26:05Z")
Is it possible that the Afghanistan campaign has been successful? Or, at the least, seen as having been successful by the average citizen? Mentioning it might bring down your message to reality when you opponent did what your party said it would do and failed to do so. Or, maybe I am overthinking this. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/3 "2012-08-31T17:15:29Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Is it possible that the Afghanistan campaign has been successful? No > [@](#): > > Or, at the least, seen as having been successful by the average citizen? Fuck no. Not sure why there was no mention at all. I would have expected him to downplay it since his policy isn’t terribly different from Obamas and he should be focusing more on the economy. But it still should have been included. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/4 "2012-08-31T17:53:55Z")
Maybe he intends to delegate the “Commander In Chief” thing, so didn’t think it was important to bring up. My guess is that he’ll outsource it to Xe. IMHO, it was a serious oversight. CIC is a pretty big deal with Iran and all that stuff going on over there… but, meh… better to spend more time talking about how poor they used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/5 "2012-08-31T17:57:21Z")
I think their strategy failed. They didn’t come off as struggling heroes who overcame amazing adversity. They came off as phonies. This begs the question: Does the GOP leadership \*want \*to lose this presidential race? Looking from the outside, it sure looks that way. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/6 "2012-08-31T18:09:38Z")
I could see omitting a reference to Afghanistan specifically, since the voters don’t seem, by and large, to be pressing the issue. I would have thought, however, that even a platitude about how much we value and honor the men and women serving in our armed forces would be a fixed part of the template. It seems to me like wearing a flag pin, especially if you are a Republican. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/7 "2012-08-31T18:33:28Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > This begs the question: Does the GOP leadership \*want \*to lose this presidential race? > > Looking from the outside, it sure looks that way. Honestly, it is like the entire Republican party is imploding. I think they thought it would be a cake walk between the amount of money they have and the economy. It should have been the perfect setup so Mittens could finally get to put POTUS on his resume. But he’s barely even with Obama and none of the polls account for Gary Johnson who will also be on the ballot in all 50 states. They tweeked off the Ron Paul crowd and Johnson was down there to scoop them up. They’re pretty tone deaf on women’s issues and oblivious to minorities. Their own kind seem more and more at ease with admitting campaign gaffs (after all, I guess they want to continue to have a career after Nov) even while they continue to give flat, lifeless delivery of the official talking points. It almost feels like at some point, someone is going to finally call a national press conference, walk to the podium and say “PUNKED! We got you!” ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/8 "2012-08-31T18:33:57Z")
Maybe he didn’t want to “exploit” the troops for cheap applause. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/9 "2012-09-01T09:19:38Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > Maybe he didn’t want to “exploit” the troops for cheap applause. More than willing to rally for them though, as long as doing so wouldn’t interrupt his mission to France (Godless heathens that they are - don’t know how he survived in a country with Socialist medicine). ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/10 "2012-09-01T13:58:54Z")
Y’know, after all the recent troopolatry, it was almost refreshing that he did not feel the need to keep hammering on that part. Besides, when you (and your surrogates like Dr. Rice) are saying you’re going to take an unapologetic hard line on the likes of Iran and that you’re gonna take the lead where our [del]interests[/del] values may be at stake (what’s wrong with saying we’ll pursue our interests, anyway?), that kind of takes the wind out of any shot against interventions already under way and telegraphs to The Troops that they should keep their bags packed. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/11 "2012-09-01T16:55:53Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > This was noteworthy because in Mitt Romney’s 4,000 word speech, not only did he not mention Afghanistan, he didn’t mention Iraq, and he didn’t even have a passing reference to active duty military or veterans. > > While Bill Kristol is troubled by this ([http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/what-war\_651279.html](http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/what-war_651279.html)), I haven’t seen a whole lot of mention of this anywhere. The pointed omission of respect or even acknowledgement of the military is something you would expect from a strawman fictional liberal, not from the Republican candidate for President during his nomination acceptance speech. > > What gives? [The Associated Press noticed. > [@](#): > > With America embroiled in its longest armed conflict, Mitt Romney became the first Republican since 1952 to accept his party’s nomination without mentioning war. > > Three election cycles after the 2001 terrorist attacks, neither Romney nor his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, had anything to say about terrorism or war while on their party’s biggest stage. The only one who did Thursday was actor Clint Eastwood, who won cheers for suggesting invading Afghanistan was a mistake and calling for an immediate withdrawal of troops - a line that might have earned boos and catcalls four years ago. ]([http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US\_REPUBLICANS\_WAR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-31-22-30-39](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_REPUBLICANS_WAR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-31-22-30-39)) First time in 60 years that a Republican presidential candidate hasn’t mentioned war or the troops or the military. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/12 "2012-09-02T02:04:35Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > This begs the question: Does the GOP leadership \*want \*to lose this presidential race? > > Looking from the outside, it sure looks that way. Nit: _prompts_ the question. [Begging the question](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question) is an entirely different thing. I was just discussing this very thing. My admittedly paranoid reaction to the incredible suckiness of the past 2 GOP tickets makes me wonder if the election is staged and the outcome pre-determined. But then again the GOP ticket before that was rather bad as well, and they won two terms with it… ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/13 "2012-09-02T02:22:46Z")
Obama has Mitt covered: [Giving Thanks to Our Troops - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGNIHWydb9Q&feature=youtu.be) Interesting, Sept 1 is the 1yr since troops left Iraq. Maybe that is why there was no interest in bringing up the troop? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/14 "2012-09-02T04:31:26Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I think their strategy failed. > They didn’t come off as struggling heroes who overcame amazing adversity. > They came off as phonies. > > This begs the question: Does the GOP leadership \*want \*to lose this presidential race? > > Looking from the outside, it sure looks that way. Did you ever see the Southpark Episode where the boys are forced to play Little League Baseball and they try to throw every game but the other team is also trying to lose? I feel like I’m Stan’s dad in that case. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/15 "2012-09-02T13:08:14Z")
Believe me, I’d be thrilled if we didn’t show our patriotism by wearing flag pins and didn’t show our support for men and women in the armed forces by putting magnets on our cars. Platitudes in speeches are only a little better. If I thought this was a move away from letting bullshit support suffice for the real thing I would he thrilled. I just don’t think that’s the case. I hate to say this because it’s easy to do, but I have a hard time believing that Obama would be let off easy if he did the same, even though his policies provide more actual support. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/16 "2012-09-02T15:06:48Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > what’s wrong with saying we’ll pursue our interests, anyway? Yeah, what happened to the politicians willing to say America will unilaterally employ military force to enjoy “uninhibited access to key markets, energy supplies and strategic resources”? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/17 "2012-09-02T22:53:50Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No > > Fuck no. > > Not sure why there was no mention at all. I would have expected him to downplay it since his policy isn’t terribly different from Obamas and he should be focusing more on the economy. But it still should have been included. Wait a second, aren’t you Canadian? If so, I believe “average citizen” is referring to American citizens. Yet your response seemed rather personal. Heck, if I knew for sure you were Canadian, my response would have been snarky. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/18 "2012-09-03T00:42:10Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Believe me, I’d be thrilled if we didn’t show our patriotism by wearing flag pins and didn’t show our support for men and women in the armed forces by putting magnets on our cars. Platitudes in speeches are only a little better. If I thought this was a move away from letting bullshit support suffice for the real thing I would he thrilled. > > I just don’t think that’s the case. I hate to say this because it’s easy to do, but I have a hard time believing that Obama would be let off easy if he did the same, even though his policies provide more actual support. I agree. Remember the crap a while back when Obama _didn’t_ have a lapel flag in some damned picture or another? [and I indicate my support with a wedding license of 20 years in duration to a now retired service member. There is a reason that military have a high divorce rate, it takes work to stay married.] ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/19 "2012-09-03T01:59:43Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Remember the crap a while back when Obama _didn’t_ have a lapel flag in some damned picture or another? He did. A little tiny one, with gold fringe. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-romneys-speech-what-war-what-troops/633273/20 "2012-09-04T14:43:15Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Wait a second, aren’t you Canadian? If so, I believe “average citizen” is referring to American citizens. Yet your response seemed rather personal. > > Heck, if I knew for sure you were Canadian, my response would have been snarky. You are thinking of Sam or Bryan, at a guess. John, IIRC, is from California.