# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/101 "2012-07-27T16:05:00Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I couldn’t disagree more. He’s not the president, and if the attention span of the British public is like that of us in America, they won’t remember a thing about it if and when Romney is elected. I think we might, in fact, if only because I suspect that quite a lot of people here didn’t really have much of an idea who Romney was until this. So if he was hoping to increase his personal recognition overseas, he’s certainly done that. What he’s actually said isn’t, in the grand scheme of things, that bad – it’s the timing that’s got him the coverage, as much as anything. Our own politicians are on their summer holidays, the weather’s stopped being interesting, and the pre-Olympics buzz is beginning to pall (there are only so many local worthies, sporting has-beens and minor celebs you can watch carry a torch before you lose interest). Basically, we were in need of something to distract us until the games started, and when Mitt turned out to be entertaining, we all gathered round in the hopes he’d do something else. Is he likely to do anything else, do you think? Or is that it for now? I understand he’s off to Israel and Poland after this, so that might be worth watching. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/102 "2012-07-27T16:09:18Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > Yea but we do take an interest in the nature of the Big Dog we’ll end up yapping along at the heels of in some pointless, ill-thought out war or another. > > And he’s looking deeply unimpressive. True enough. And as **denquixote** alluded to upthread, we’re probably the folks most predisposed to like the US, along with Israel, perhaps. I suppose the next move would be to complain about how you can’t get a decent bacon roll in Jerusalem. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/103 "2012-07-27T16:10:05Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I know of a few of what I call “phony” gaffes, as I alluded to earlier. I honestly don’t know what you are referring to. Lots of gaffes are phony. Think “The fundamentals of the economy are strong.” and “I like being able to fire people.” Now let’s see, what do those two fake gaffes have in common? Oh yes, Barack Obama ruthlessly exploited both of them. Ah, gotta love karma. ---
**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, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/104 "2012-07-27T16:14:33Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Lots of gaffes are phony. Think “The fundamentals of the economy are strong.” and “I like being able to fire people.” > > Now let’s see, what do those two fake gaffes have in common? Oh yes, Barack Obama ruthlessly exploited both of them. Ah, gotta love karma. Yes. Lots of gaffes are phony. Certainly the second one you mention above is. I don’t know what your first example is, so I won’t comment on it. Now, what Obama gaffes were you referring to? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/105 "2012-07-27T16:14:45Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Are you saying that Mitt doesn’t think that his wife’s horse is competing in the Olympics? Mitt doesn’t think that his wife’s horse being there is a purpose of _his_ visit. ---
**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, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/106 "2012-07-27T16:18:37Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I know of a few of what I call “phony” gaffes, as I alluded to earlier. I honestly don’t know what you are referring to. Obviously he thinks that the “you didn’t build that” statement, taken entirely out of context to appear to right wingers to be a gaffe, was indeed a gaffe. ---
**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, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/107 "2012-07-27T16:23:48Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Obviously he thinks that the “you didn’t build that” statement, taken entirely out of context to appear to right wingers to be a gaffe, was indeed a gaffe. Maybe. Or perhaps it’s the “Just like we’ve tried their plan, we tried our plan – and it worked” non-contextual [“gaffe”](http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/24/remarks-president-campaign-event%20) from just the other day. Who knows, since he won’t answer. ---
**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, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/108 "2012-07-27T16:28:02Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Is he likely to do anything else, do you think? Or is that it for now? I understand he’s off to Israel and Poland after this, so that might be worth watching. Who knows. But rest assured, if there is anything the press here in the US can do to exaggerate or blow out of proportion what a candidate says for a good news story, they will find it. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/109 "2012-07-27T16:28:35Z")
Took two days to get to that point. I’m sure he’ll improve, unless he pukes on the Queen. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/110 "2012-07-27T16:39:30Z")
> [@nogravity](#): > > I swear the next story will involve Mitt and body parts. Psssssssst: [Stericycle.](http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/07/romney-invested-in-a-fetus-disposal-company.html) ---
**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, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/111 "2012-07-27T16:40:24Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Took two days to get to that point. > > I’m sure he’ll improve, unless he pukes on the Queen. Maybe he’ll tell Kate “Love your sister’s ass”. ---
**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, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/112 "2012-07-27T16:41:02Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > 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. There’s been many times over the years when politicians have said or done embarrassing things while visiting foreign countries. But usually it’s balanced out by the rest of the trip going fairly smoothly, and the politician otherwise being charming and saying the right things the rest of the time. Obama giving an iPod maybe wasn’t great, but I think the rest of the trip went fairly well and he gave an overall good impression. Bush had faults and didn’t always say the right thing, but I believe he was also known for having charisma and being charming in person when meeting people. Romney has been hurt that in addition to saying the wrong thing several times already in his trip to London, he’s also been awkward and hasn’t won over people with his charm. I sympathize with him a little, since I’m somewhat awkward and I’m not always able to smoothly get past when I say something stupid. But I’m also not a politician who needs to be able to win people over. ---
**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, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/113 "2012-07-27T16:50:43Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Took two days to get to that point. > > I’m sure he’ll improve, unless he pukes on the Queen. If he meets any royalty it’ll be through his wife, not on his own merits. ---
**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, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/114 "2012-07-27T16:55:36Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Took two days to get to that point. > > I’m sure he’ll improve, unless he pukes on the Queen. I think right now “Mitt the Twit” is tied with “American Borat”. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/115 "2012-07-27T16:57:06Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > He is deferring to Obama on foreign policy. :smack: This guy is dumb. Well, if he wins, he’ll need a Secretary of State… ---
**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, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/116 "2012-07-27T17:04:19Z")
I hadn’t heard about Mitt impersonating a police officer. How bizarre is that? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/117 "2012-07-27T17:08:06Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > Um yes. That is exactly how it works. Ordinary Brits can say things about the Olympics which visiting politicians can’t. Is this so hard to understand? I’ll assume that you’re addressing me, although I said nothing about anything being hard to understand. I said that it’s amusing - which it is - or possibly even ironic, although we Americans are notorious for not being able to use or perceive irony. Romney is a tool, and the more he opens his mouth unscripted, the more I like it. ---
**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, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/118 "2012-07-27T17:10:31Z")
[Quite.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/classmates-mitt-romney-im_n_1575680.html) > [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > I hadn’t heard about Mitt impersonating a police officer. How bizarre is that? Hmmm… fascinated by police uniforms…wrestled gay classmate to ground to cut his hair… I think someone’s in denial here. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/119 "2012-07-27T17:11:06Z")
I think the Mr Leader and MI6 gaffes were fairly small but the Olympic criticism was a huge blunder. Some people are defending him by saying that his statements are quite accurate and indeed they are but one of the key social skills we develop is learning not to blurt out the truth in every possible situation. There are many ordinary people saying what Romney said but it was still really stupid for a US politician visiting the UK just before the Olympics to criticize their preparation. Anyone who thinks otherwise should ask themselves when was the last time a senior US politician visiting a close ally said something: a) which was quickly refuted by the head of government of the other country b) which was openly mocked by another senior politician in front of a crowd. Bush was very unpopular with the media and public in various countries but I can’t recall him ever drawing this kind of response from foreign politicians in a friendly country. ---
**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, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485/120 "2012-07-27T17:11:59Z")
[Even **Karl Rove** is saying that Mitt blew it.](http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/karl-rove-romney-blew-it-in-london-video.php?ref=fpa) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-candidate-goes-to-london/629485.md?page=7)