I wish both parties would leave dumb shit like that alone. A chuckle, perhaps, if it’s really warranted–GW giving Merkel a backrub, for example–but making hay over protocol gaffes, implied slights, or general brain fartitude can be really tedious. Not that anyone here went over the line or even close. I’m thinking more along the lines of TPM’s front page.
Just a general observation that I’m sick of playing “spot the misstep” with politicians. Yeah, a Palin or a Bachman probably have an abysmal actual stupid thing-to-minor gaffe ratio, and yeah, some things can be revealing, but stupid shit said isn’t an accurate barometer of political leadership.
(People looking to advance in the diplomatic corps excepted)
Yeah, the criticisms makes Romney look like someone who actually managed the games, and was slipping into managerial thinking. Not such a major gaffe in itself. But he could have softened it with a save, like, “Excuse me, I should say, I’m sure they’ll do fine.”
As it is, we have one more reason not to vote for Romney; he’d make Cameron look good by comparison.
Now, forgetting Ed Miliband’s name is interesting. Is Romney good with names? That can be kind of a big deal.
Exactly what I was thinking. He’s approaching the question from a purely business perspective. The problem is that it plays right into the perception many people already have of Romney – that he thinks of the world in terms of business assessments, rather than the concerns of individuals, and that he can’t seem to adjust this point of view even when he’s speaking in a political context.
That’s true. I believe that anyone can do this. It doesn’t matter that some people come from wealthy families, or from families with political connections that go back generations; even they can achieve the American dream! Look at Paris Hilton, or one of the Kennedy clan, or Kelly Osbourne! They managed to get past the wealth and fame and privilege and carve themselves a piece of the American pie! If they can do it, anyone can!
If I was a politician from another country, I would not want to get within 5 miles of Romney, for fear that he’d take our conversation, twist it around and spread a bunch of crap to the world’s media. Crap that would get me in some trouble back home.
Generally, I agree with you. But why would officials like the Prime Minister of England and the Foreign Minister of Australia be meeting with a private citizen like Romney? Right now, he has no actual power or position. I assume they want to feel him out in case they have to spend the next four years dealing with him. For them, it’s a chance to vet the candidate. For the US public, it’s essentially a job interview. We get to see how he handles diplomacy and foreign policy. So, if you think of this as a job interview, how’s Romney doing?
Romney also received a verbal smackdown from London Mayor Boris Johnson, but given that Boris was mostly elected for his entertainment value Mitt shouldn’t worry too much about that one.
Wow. When GWB was treated with disrespect, one heard shrieks of “Respect the office if not the man.” I’m curious if any Republicans (stupid or otherwise) have commented on this billboard.
The 2nd segment of a recent Daily Show contains an interview with President Herman Cain.
I’m not sure this is appropriate for this thread: Cain seems less stupid than some Republican candidates. Anyway, I’m really not sure if Cain is serious, or is opting for a 2nd career in self-parody. :rolleyes:
Do you realize what health care spending is as a percentage of the G.D.P. in Israel? Eight percent. You spend eight percent of G.D.P. on health care. You’re a pretty healthy nation. We spend 18 percent of our G.D.P. on health care, 10 percentage points more. That gap, that 10 percent cost, compare that with the size of our military — our military which is 4 percent, 4 percent. Our gap with Israel is 10 points of G.D.P. We have to find ways — not just to provide health care to more people, but to find ways to fund and manage our health care costs.
If I had any faith in the American electorate, I would be heartened by these events. But that would require that they pay attention to speeches and draw conclusions; instead of just listening to attack ads and doing what Fox News tells them to do.