# Mr Candidate goes to London **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 26, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485 "2012-07-26T19:30:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/61 "2012-07-27T12:51:13Z")
Moved from General Questions to Elections. **samclem** , Moderator ---
**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:** [July 27, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/62 "2012-07-27T12:55:03Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > The guy has moments of complete gracelessness. It’s like his social grace subroutine is getting rebooted when his mouth starts to move. Just like when he insulted the cookies at a highly structured “meet the little people” event, he couldn’t manage to say “what lovely cookies”. > > For everyone who thought “it’s just cookies”, now he’s insulted an entire nation instead of some podunk bakery. Hey! I live in that “podunk” town. I’ve never heard of a large suburban community outside a city called “podunk” before. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/63 "2012-07-27T12:57:30Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I’m just about to head over to the Hannity forums to see how they handle this, but I’m betting the most common response will be, “Should he have just given the Queen an iPod?” > > They don’t need to defend it. They don’t need to explain it. All they have to do is try to make Obama look worse. And, when it’s all over, they’re going to vote for Romney- because he’s not Obama. > > Personally, I’m willing to chalk Romney’s statements up to a minor gaffe, likely caused by jetlag and possibly some nervousness. No big deal. I \*do \*find it rather amusing, though, considering how the right has been so intent on seeing the worst in anything Obama says (and even stooping so low as to selectively edit what he’s said). How do you feel about the Anglo-Saxon comments of his campaign? Those cannot be excused by fatigue and nerves. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/64 "2012-07-27T13:06:49Z")
I think the comments in the book about how England makes stuff that nobody wants is worse than his current hoof-in-mouth problem. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/65 "2012-07-27T13:10:29Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Of course, this will only endear him to the Republican base, most of whom will be giggling tonight thinking the British are playing “My Country 'Tis of Thee” at the opening ceremonies. And they’ll also be jumping up and down in their mobile homes, saying “Woo hoo! Romney pisses off those uppity furriners!” Yeah but in an election year he needs to woo other votes. He already has that locked sewn up. Hopefully those still on the fence will not be as crass as most conservatives. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/66 "2012-07-27T13:12:44Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Hey! I live in that “podunk” town. I’ve never heard of a large suburban community outside a city called “podunk” before. Fair 'nuff, I retract the podunk crack. “now he’s insulted an entire nation instead of a local bakery” ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/67 "2012-07-27T13:13:05Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think the comments in the book about how England makes stuff that nobody wants is worse than his current hoof-in-mouth problem. Not to mention making the elementary mistake of using “England” as synonymous with the United Kingdom. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/68 "2012-07-27T13:37:45Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > I think most British people who thought about it at all, and that’s a small minority I’d guess, would just have added Romney’s name to the list of recent somewhat unimpressive Republicans. After Reagan, Bush The Elder and Bush The Clown and Palin we really don’t have very high expectations of Republican Presidential types. But when you manage to piss off extreme right-wing mouthpieces like the Daily Mail you know you’ve failed on an epic scale. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/69 "2012-07-27T14:10:06Z")
He managed to change the subject from his tax returns. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/70 "2012-07-27T14:10:16Z")
It’s a big deal because Romney’s whole angle on foreign policy is that Obama has diminished the United States’ stature in the world and he’s the guy to right that ship. Going out and making gaffe after gaffe after gaffe on his very first day overseas unravels that entire attack. So Romney goes from talking about how important we’re viewed in the world, to suddenly having one of his top surrogates at home saying this: > [@](#): > > “We’re not worried about overseas headlines. We’re worried about voters back here in America,” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) said on a Romney campaign conference call Thursday, amid the thick of British attacks on Romney’s visit. “I think the focus needs to continue to be on what’s happening here at home. That’s what’s important to voters.” So if the focus should continue to be on what’s happening here at home, why is Romney spending a week abroad? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/71 "2012-07-27T14:15:09Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Definitely big gaffes, but not big enough to distract from the big story of the moment, the controversy over Obama’s gaffe. “Look-Over there! An imaginary distraction!” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/72 "2012-07-27T14:18:26Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Hopefully Romney makes a better president than candidate. Hopefully we’ll never find out. I’m looking forward to this cockroach running for cover the minute the votes are tallied. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/73 "2012-07-27T14:33:44Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It’s amusing to me that the British – who have been pissing, moaning and whinging nonstop about the Olympics since day one – have suddenly acquired national pride. But I guess it’s okay for _them_ to call it all a shambles. Silliness prevails again. There is a difference. Just like how someone can complain about how awful his mom is, but he’ll get in a fight with you if you say something negative about her. Also, he’s not visiting as an adviser, he’s a guest. On it’s own, it’s not a terrible statement in my opinion, but adding up with everything else, it creates a bad pattern. > [@Lightnin](#): > > Personally, I’m willing to chalk Romney’s statements up to a minor gaffe, likely caused by jetlag and possibly some nervousness. No big deal. I \*do \*find it rather amusing, though, considering how the right has been so intent on seeing the worst in anything Obama says (and even stooping so low as to selectively edit what he’s said). Each statement on it’s own is minor, but to have several in one day is a bad pattern. Also, this should have been the easiest trip ever for him. He was going to a country that is one of our closest allies and very similar in a lot of ways. He didn’t have to learn any bits of foreign languages or customs that terribly different from American ones. It should have been easy for him to study on the plane what to do and say and his misstatements make it seem like he didn’t even do that easy homework. Also, a president will have to do some diplomatic trips and meet with foreign leaders and negotiate and work out agreements and treaties. The treaties and negotiations are the difficult parts, the meet and greets should be the easy parts. If he blunders the meet and greets and accidentally insults the host country now when he doesn’t even have the pressure of having to reach any agreements, it doesn’t inspire confidence that he’ll be able to work out treaties in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/74 "2012-07-27T14:36:55Z")
I’m not sure if he’s better or worse than how _The New Yorker_ caricatured him in January: > **[President Romney Meets Other World Leaders](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/01/16/president-romney-meets-other-world-leaders)** > > President Romney peered at Angela Merkel briefly and then said to Nicolas Sarkozy, “Your aunt? Your mother?” ---
**Author:** ![nogravity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@nogravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nogravity)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/75 "2012-07-27T15:01:14Z")
According to [Bobby Jindal and Bob McDonnell](http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/romney-olympics-london-bobby-jindal-bob-mcdonnell.php?ref=fpnewsfeed) they’re no big deal because Americans don’t care about the foreign press. So Mitt has nothing to worry about and can gaffe his way through on his grand tour. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/76 "2012-07-27T15:01:28Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Romney can’t comment on the freaking Olympic games without creating a diplomatic incident? Depending on how one defines “diplomatic incident”, I guess you could say Romney was guilty of creating one. For me though, it would rank right up there with the Queen of England [eating](http://www.foodandwine.com/blogs/2012/6/15/hot-dog-history) a hot dog with a knife and fork while here in America. I mean, c’mon, he’s not even an official representative of the US. Now, our British friends may see things differently and they have every right to, but to give this more than a passing glance is, it seems to me, ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/77 "2012-07-27T15:08:23Z")
Seeing Cameron and Romney standing together at the photo-op, it did have the appearance of someone (Romney) being humored. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/78 "2012-07-27T15:10:13Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > It’s a big deal because Romney’s whole angle on foreign policy is that Obama has diminished the United States’ stature in the world and he’s the guy to right that ship. Going out and making gaffe after gaffe after gaffe on his very first day overseas unravels that entire attack. This, I think, should be the take-away message. Conservatives have been falling all over themselves in their attempts to make Obama look “unpresidential” overseas (the iPod gift, etc.)… and then their fair-haired boy makes what is \*undeniably \*a gaffe, one which actually offended the Brits. I think the gaffe itself wasn’t really that big a deal. However, the fact that he completely blew his chance to make a good impression on his first campaign trip is a \*huge \*deal. ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/79 "2012-07-27T15:14:12Z")
yep, I think the point is he presented an easy target for his opponents when he really didn’t need to, and when he was trying to achieve exactly the opposite. It wasn’t exactly a difficlut question to field. He’s obv. not as plain stupd at GWB but this really defines his very narrow comfort zone. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/80 "2012-07-27T15:15:04Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Definitely big gaffes, but not big enough to distract from the big story of the moment, the controversy over Obama’s gaffe. Exactly to which phony gaffe are you referring? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485.md?page=5)