2012 Tuesday: Team Obama moves ‘Forward’ by dredging up, distorting Romney’s words from 2007
On Monday, the Obama-Biden 2012 campaign unveiled its slogan: “Forward.”
Yep, that’s it. As Washington Post humor-blogger Alexandra Petri observed, “If your slogan is just one or two notches above BCC, it might not be a great slogan.”
But never mind the lack of zip to the latest and greatest in Democratic bumper-sticker philosophy, or the fact that it won’t help the arguments that President Obama isn’t a Marxist. The most disqualifying thing about “Forward” as a slogan is that this is a president who keeps looking backward. Heck, even the video unveiling “Forward” as a slogan began with a retrospective on the 2008 financial crisis; the very first words of the video titled “Forward” are “January 2008.” I’m not sure that word means what the Obama team thinks it does.
In other forward-looking news, Democrats are using today’s anniversary of the Navy SEALs’ killing of Osama bin Laden last year to revisit some comments Mitt Romney made five years ago. (Forward! Forward!)
According to this new narrative about old words, in August 2007 Romney “ruled out” a mission for U.S. troops to enter Pakistan and kill bin Laden. Never mind that Hillary Clinton, who ultimately sat in the room with Obama as the raid was carried out, and John McCain, whom Democrats derided as a trigger-happy cowboy (”Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran”), both voiced misgivings about the public pledge Obama made then to strike within Pakistan, with or without the Pakistani government’s approval.
As it happens, two days after making the remarks Democrats are now highlighting, Romney was asked during a GOP debate in Iowa to explain what he meant. Here’s how he answered (the relevant question is asked at the 3:10 mark and Romney, after waiting for Rudy Giuliani to answer, begins speaking around the 4:50 mark):
In case you didn’t watch, here’s the gist of what Romney said:
It’s wrong for a person running for the president of the United States to get on TV and say we’re going to go into your country unilaterally. Of course America always maintains our option to do whatever we think is in the best interest of America. But we don’t go out and say, “Ladies and gentleman of Germany, if ever there was a problem in your country [and] we didn’t think you were doing the right thing, we reserve the right to come in and get them out.” We don’t say those things, we keep our options quiet.
We do not go out and say to a nation which is working with us, where we’ve collaborated, and they are our friend, and we’re trying to support Musharraf and strengthen him and his nation, that instead that we intend to go in there and potentially bring out a unilateral attack.
Now, whatever one thought of Pervez Musharraf’s government in 2007, it is nigh-impossible to argue that Romney’s warning against undermining potential allies by talking publicly about carrying out attacks on their soil is the same thing as saying “he wouldn’t do such a thing.”
As I wrote last year, Obama deserves credit for ordering the raid and seeing that the team conducting it had the necessary support and resources. But he has officially strayed from “not spiking the ball” — at the very least, he’s moved on to “the other guy wouldn’t have had a ball to spike.”
Forward!
Riiiight.
(H/t: Hot Air)
– By Kyle Wingfield
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331 comments Add your comment
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 1st, 2012
9:06 am
Perhaps a more appropriate Obozo campaign slogan would have been…
“Flexibility”
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
9:10 am
Finn McColl, you DO know the difference between saying you weren’t going to “spike the ball”, and not saying that, don’t you?
You DO know the difference between “distorting” and “lying”, don’t you?
Your kindergarten-level defense of “He did it first!” would work so much better if the current Liar-in-Chief hadn’t forgotten he promised to take the high road on this, and so many other issues.
ByteMe
May 1st, 2012
9:11 am
Romney changed tactics today. Instead of whining about it, he issued a statement, which included this:
Today marks the one year anniversary of the mission that brought Osama bin Laden to justice. That mission was the culmination of nearly a decade of hard work and sacrifice by our men and women in the military and intelligence communities. I commend all those who planned and conducted the bin Laden raid, and I applaud President Obama for giving the go ahead for the mission. Let us never forget the thousands of innocents who perished on September 11, 2001, or the brave servicemen and women who have given their lives to defeat those who would do harm to our country. They, and their families, are forever in our thoughts and prayers.
A better answer than yesterday’s “even Jimmy Carter would have done it,” because it opened the door to Romney’s past statements on the topic.
redneckbluedog
May 1st, 2012
9:15 am
Romney is a huge jerk…!!! My brother went and saw him in Charlotte. Hates him..!!! Says he will not only not stay home this November…he will vote Democrat..!!!! First time in 30 years of voting….Says Romney is worse than Al Gore…thinks his crap don’t stink and everybody else should kiss his feet…..
Full Disclosure……I don’t particularly care for Mormons….and I was a BIG Clinton man in the late 90’s. I voted for HW Bush twice, but I voted for Clinton the second time….I voted for Gore but I regret that….I also voted for GW Bush over Kerry/Edwards….I don’t really regret that…..but I should’ve stayed home on that one…..
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
May 1st, 2012
9:17 am
I’ll bet that if Kyle took a poll on whether presidential term limits should be done away with, he would find that most of the liberal trolls that frequent his blog would be for removing them so Obama could stay in power like a dictator indefinetely.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
9:18 am
“A better answer than yesterday’s “even Jimmy Carter would have done it,” because it opened the door to Romney’s past statements on the topic.”
Yet Romney’s past statements on this topic were very clear, ByteMe (as I have pointed out), if you had only taken the time to read and listen to them in their entirety, rather than rely on the lie from this pathetic excuse of a President.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 1st, 2012
9:22 am
The libs have their talking points and marching orders, Tib…don’t expect them to think or to exhibit any curiosity about Romney’s actual statements.
MarkV
May 1st, 2012
9:24 am
Kyle writes and shows what Romney said as an “explanation” of what he meant. Why did he not quote Romney’s original words?
Obama:” If we have actionable intelligence about high value terrorist targets and President Musharraf would not act, we will.”
Romney” I do not concur in the words of Barack Obama in a plan to enter an ally of ours.”
Two days later, apparently after he was told that his words did not play well, Romney “explained” what he meant. But his original words stand. He could have said the first time that he did not agree with Barack Obama saying what he would do. He did not. He did not concur with what Obama said, did not concur with “If we have actionable intelligence about high value terrorist targets and President Musharraf would not act, we will.” Then he flip-flopped again. It is a legitimate question to ask what Romney would have done, if he were the president.
redneckbluedog
May 1st, 2012
9:25 am
Better bust out them checkbooks…..gonna take a TON of Koch and Rove money to polish up that stinker…:-)……
Republicans may be better off brokering the convention….Get somebody with a personality…!
Ayn Rand was right
May 1st, 2012
9:26 am
I am simply shocked at how many life-long Republicans are now voting Democrat. Hmmmmmm
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 1st, 2012
9:26 am
9:24 as exhibit A of my 9:22.
redneckbluedog
May 1st, 2012
9:28 am
Haley Barbour, Newt, Rick Perry…for God’s sakes…..Herman Cain, Santorum……
Cutty
May 1st, 2012
9:29 am
So Romney’s words are somehow being ‘distorted’, and a few days later he flip flops on what he previously said? Gimme a break.
He least Obama has strutted out on a battleship in a flight suit w a mission accomplished banner behind him. Now that would be spiking the ball imo.
redneckbluedog
May 1st, 2012
9:29 am
It’s one thing to not be a Christian……but to be a jerk….!?!?!?
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
9:31 am
MarkV, try as hard as you like; you will NOT get away with using a parsed line to convey the entirety of Mitt Romney’s beliefs on a subject.
If all you are capable of is handling one-liners – well, let’s just say you’re representative of the liberal mindset and leave it at that.
The rest of us thinking people will continue to do the hard work of actually reading EVERYTHING that was said and forming opinions accordingly.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
9:33 am
Cutty, I suggest you read my 8:27 before you post such nonsense again.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
9:35 am
Nice to see the religious bigots such as redneckbluedog out of their grandmother’s basements today.
Jefferson
May 1st, 2012
9:44 am
When t don’t like the message, he attacks the poster, what does that tell about t ? How does it make him feel ? What is the obsession with the basement ? The GOP did it again, found a bad idea and is trying to polish it.
JohnnyReb
May 1st, 2012
9:46 am
My crystal ball shows the Forward slogan won’t make it till the end of May. They completely had their head up their a$$ as it has been his entire presidency. We should be thankful things are not in a bigger mess.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
9:53 am
“When t don’t like the message, he attacks the poster”
Yeah, ’cause religious bigotry is the best way to get your point across, right, Jefferson?
You libs scream tolerance, right up to the point where it doesn’t fit your warped view of the world.
Will
May 1st, 2012
9:55 am
News scoop by republican newspaper writer.
Writer discovers a politician taking words out of context and using them against opponent!! Who knew????
At least we know Mittens will never do such a thing – he certainly did not do such a thing during the primary season!!
carlosgvv
May 1st, 2012
9:56 am
Kyle, you’re starting to sound desperate. Have secret polls already told you Obama is likely to win?
Hillbilly D
May 1st, 2012
10:04 am
We don’t say those things, we keep our options quiet.
That’s what any smart poker player would do.
Road Scholar
May 1st, 2012
10:06 am
“The Republicans had nothing to do with that disaster the Democrats forced thru.”
Are you kidding me? Granted the Repubs have done nothing…..but be obstructionists!
Oh and Boehmer, where are the jobs? Also you have had 11 years to initiate an immigration bill; where is it?
ByteMe
May 1st, 2012
10:12 am
Yet Romney’s past statements on this topic were very clear, ByteMe (as I have pointed out), if you had only taken the time to read and listen to them in their entirety, rather than rely on the lie from this pathetic excuse of a President.
Yes, his past statements were very clear. He wouldn’t have done it on Pakistan soil. He was VERY clear on that during the 2008 Republican primaries. Everything else you say is a blustering lie, Ti, and you know it. Or (at least) we hope you know it.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
10:19 am
Really, Road, you’ve got to up your game, son.
In fact, republicans actually had nothing to do with Obamacare passing. Not a single proposed change or addition to the bill was allowed by either the House or the Senate; both chambers being run by Democrats. In most cases, amendments weren’t even allowed on the floor or in any committee by the chairmen-women who were running the show. So there was no obstruction whatsoever by Republicans on that particular bill.
The House version passed by 5 votes – only one Republican voted for the bill. It received no votes in the U.S Senate from any Republican.
You may not like it, but claiming GOP obstruction on that bill is false.
Oh, and the rest of your post is deflection from the issue at hand.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
10:21 am
ByteMe, I suggest you read my 8:27 before standing by your latest nonsense at 10:12.
Why are facts such ugly things for you mindless libs?
ByteMe
May 1st, 2012
10:23 am
I suggest you read my 8:27 before standing by your latest nonsense at 10:12.
Just because you wrote it doesn’t make it true. I suggest you get your ego checked out. It’s enlarged.
sheepdawg
May 1st, 2012
10:25 am
kyle, want some cheese with that whine
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 1st, 2012
10:27 am
Oh and Boehmer, where are the jobs?
——–
Unemployment is down a percentage point since Americans gave the GOP control of the House. There’s only so much that can be accomplished, given Democrat obstruction.
For more progress, push “Republican” in November.
sheepdawg
May 1st, 2012
10:28 am
kyle, you have some real ringers posting on your blog….always entertaining albeit lacking substance…kinda coincides with your followers
Road Scholar
May 1st, 2012
10:33 am
Tib: Didn’t many of the ideas behind what was written come from Repub ideas/positions before President Obama was elected?
Road Scholar
May 1st, 2012
10:35 am
Tib: I’ll remember that deflection whine later. I’m sure it will come into play!
JP
May 1st, 2012
10:36 am
Wow Kyle, run out of things to write this morning? What color is your dress this morning? The Romney camp essentially slandered the rest of the GOP field to get the nomination. And remember when Romney’s camp said Obama didn’t want to talk about the economy in 2008? Even though Obama was referencing McCain’s reluctance to do so at the time? Romney’s people basically said “too bad.”
Were you OK with W landing on an aircraft carrier with a Mission Accomplished sign hanging from the ship? If you are representative of Republicans this year, whining, sniveling, children, then we are all in trouble…..
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 1st, 2012
10:37 am
Road Scholar: Didn’t many of the ideas behind what was written come from Repub ideas/positions before President Obama was elected?
———–
No.
Why do you ask?
Ayn Rand was right
May 1st, 2012
10:47 am
When donning a flight suit to celebrate, Bush was connecting with his troops, a principle he continues through today. It may have been premature, but it was effective for those troops. George Bush may not have been a great President, but he is a great man. He has shown unbelievable class over the last three years, something Mr. Obama seems to know nothing about.
The problem with Obama’s “spike”, is his monomaniacal attitude…once again he takes the credit…I grant him respect for doing the right thing, but it was his job. He is not a super hero because he issued the order. Many were involved, and the buck stopped with him.
ragnar danneskjold
May 1st, 2012
10:51 am
I thought Romney’s “even Jimmy Carter would have done it” was a great answer, a two-fer, since it pairs Obama with Carter. The sharpest observation, over the weekend, was by Chairman Ann, anticipating the Romney answer. I paraphrase: “It was stupid of Team Obama to suggest Romney would not have gone after Osama. Even Dennis Kucinich would have ordered the shot.”
Leftist grasp at straws when their policies – Stimulus, ObamaCare, Dodd-Frank – so visibly fail and damage the country.
ByteMe
May 1st, 2012
10:58 am
The problem with Obama’s “spike”, is his monomaniacal attitude
Man, there goes the black guy gettin’ all uppity….
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 1st, 2012
11:03 am
And there goes ByteMe, doing what libs always do when they’ve lost…
Edward
May 1st, 2012
11:10 am
Kyle is always there to shove his own head up his own a**, so dependable that way. And you whine when nobody takes you seriously? Really??? This is probably one of your more pathetic columns, but then you only copy/pasted it from your handlers.
Curious
May 1st, 2012
11:12 am
Ragner and Little Barry are really Neal Boortz.
Kyle, you’ve done well getting the likes of Boortz to comment on your columns.
old timer
May 1st, 2012
11:16 am
I bet…because of the word forward’s ties to Marxism and communism…it will not last long. Look the word up on goggle or wikipedia…
Commonscents
May 1st, 2012
11:17 am
@ByteMe……Funny!!!!!
Hey all, you are trying to argue with people who think Obama’s a muslim/marxist/foreigner/communist who hates white people/religion/corporations/America.
Quit debating with them and let them suffer in silence of four more years. Besides, you know what they say when you argue with fools…..from a distance people can’t tell who is who.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
11:22 am
“Just because you wrote it doesn’t make it true.”
Road, here’s a clue when trying to argue a particular point. Next time, actually do what the other poster suggests, this way you’re not exposed for being an idiot. What I wrote USED THE ACTUAL QUOTES FROM ROMNEY – WITHOUT PARSING, HYPERBOLE OR CREATIVE FICTION.
Romney’s ENTIRE WORDS make what I posted true. Do your homework next time, son.
Taipei Personality
May 1st, 2012
11:27 am
Forward…like a command issued to a bunch of voice-activated robots. Little mechanized liberal lemmings, moving forward toward a cliff.
Romney can adopt “back” – back to freedom!
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
11:29 am
“Tib: Didn’t many of the ideas behind what was written come from Repub ideas/positions before President Obama was elected?”
Flailing again, I see, Road.
The answer is a resounding NO! That some of those ideas came from individuals who called themselves Republican, does not make them Republican ideas. Cherry-picking (a specialty for libs like you and Bookman, btw) a Republican or two that believed in some of the ideas in Obamacare, while ignoring the other 99.9% of Republicans who did not, does not make your argument that they were Republican-supported ideas.
It is the difference between intellectual honesty when discussing the reality of the situation, and your approach, which is diametrically opposite of intellectual honesty.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
11:40 am
“I say any president, Jimmy Carter, anybody, any president would have, obviously, under those circumstances, done the same thing. And to now take credit for something that any president would do is indicative of take over campaign we’re under — we’re — we’re seeing…So all I can say is that this is going to be a very rough campaign. And I’ve had the great honor of serving in the company of heroes. And, you know the thing about heroes, they don’t brag.” – Sen. John McCain
Here’s those last two lines again:
“And I’ve had the great honor of serving in the company of heroes. And, you know the thing about heroes, they don’t brag.”
Wow. Just wow. Don’t usually agree with McCain on most things, but he sure got THAT one right.
Romney = Obama
May 1st, 2012
11:56 am
As someone who voted for Rick Santorum and donated $2K to his campaign, I just cannot and will not be supporting Mitt Romney this fall. We Republican’s need to have an open and honest conversation about this election and the perils of blindly following the Republican Party establishment and who they have been shoving in our collective faces and down our collective throats. Voting for Mitt Romney will just get us exactly what we’ve had for the past 30 years: more of the same reckless fiscal policies and fiscal mess. Until and unless we get behind a TRUE conservative and not someone who just pays us lipservice to what Conservatives truly stand for and believe in, then we as Republicans are doing ourselves and our country more harm than good.
As much as I think this country needs a stark change in Presidential leadership and direction, Mitt Romney is not the answer for leading our party or our country. How can we as Republicans ignore Mitt Romney’s record and all the things that he has said repeatedly while previously running for US Senate and Governor of Massachussettes? Was he lying then or is he lying to us now about what he truly stands for as a man? Deep in my gut, I don’t believe what he says, nor do I trust anything that he says he will do if he’s elected our President?
We as Republicans have to expect and DEMAND better from our party leaders, to do otherwise, by voting for Mitt Romney just sends the wrong message to our leaders. Aren’t we all tired of settling for less than what we deserve and pay taxes for?! WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS!
Ernest T. Bass
May 1st, 2012
11:58 am
“I do not concur in the words of Barack Obama in a plan to enter an ally of ours …
Mitt Romney
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 1st, 2012
12:01 pm
Parsing, Ernest T. Why are you afraid of posting the ENTIRE quote?
Coward!