Mitt Romney's 4 Positions on Embassy Attacks

A Timeline of events:

1) US embassy in Egypt releases statement condemning movie made by Americans mocking Islam.  Statement is released to try to quell protest/riot in front of Embassy.

2) US Embassy in Libya is attacked during a similar protest.  4 people, including the Ambassador, are killed.

3) After the news of the attack, but before word of the deaths is released, Mitt Romney issues a statement.  The statement reads, in part, "It’s disgraceful that the Obama administration’s first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks."

4) The next morning, Mitt holds a press conference, where he admits that the statement he was referring to was the one from the embassy.  He condemns the Obama Administration for standing by the statement.

5) 20 seconds later, Romney sets a personal record for flip flopping, condemning the administration for distancing themselves from the statement.

6) Does interview with ABC where he says that white house agrees with him that the statement was bad.

7) In same interview, condemns movie made by Americans mocking Islam. "I think the whole film is a terrible idea. I think him making it, promoting it showing it is disrespectful to people of other faiths. I don't think that should happen. I think people should have the common courtesy and judgment- the good judgment- not to be- not to offend other peoples' faiths. It's a very bad thing, I think, this guy's doing."

Lost, well, let's recap the positions:

-Supporting statement condemning movie is bad.
-Not supporting statement condemning movie is bad.
-Not supporting statement condemning movie is good.
-Supporting statement condemning movie is good.

Several of my Republican friends have posted columns declaring Romney right on this issue.  Well, if you hold one hand behind my back, ask me to guess how many fingers you are holding up, and give me 5 guesses, I'll probably be right.

It must be hard being a Republican and remembering what position you hold this minute.

-Bob

Mitt Romney's 20-second flip flop

1:55 mark -- condemns Administration for "standing by" the Embassy's statement.
2:15 mark -- condemns Administration for "distancing" themselves from the Embassy's statement.

Wow, 20 seconds from flip to flop.

And, the best part was why he said distancing yourself from the statement was bad: because it sends an inconsistent message to the world.

Like contradicting yourself in the matter of 20 seconds.

This Guy Should Read His Poem at the Democratic COnvention

Mitt Romney's Re-writing History on Pakistan, bin Laden

Remember last week when Republicans were making a big deal about President Obama taking credit for the death of Osama bin Laden?

Who cares that he had to make the final decision whether to go in or not.  I mean, we don't elect Presidents to make decisions, do we?

And then Republicans were all up in arms when Democrats had the nerve to point out that Mitt Romney wouldn't have made that decision.  I mean, how could Democrats know what Mitt Romney would do?

Well, because Mitt Romney version 2007 told us:

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney criticized Democrat Barack Obama on Friday for vowing to strike al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan if necessary as the Obama camp issued a strident defense of his plan.

What had been an internecine foreign policy battle between rival Democrats Obama, an Illinois senator, and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, spilled into the Republican arena in the heavily contested state of Iowa.

"I do not concur in the words of Barack Obama in a plan to enter an ally of ours... I don't think those kinds of comments help in this effort to draw more friends to our effort," Romney told reporters on the campaign trail.

Obama on Wednesday said if elected president in November 2008 he would be willing to launch military strikes against al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan with or without the approval of the Pakistani government of President Pervez Musharraf.

"If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will," Obama said.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who is one of the Republican front-runners, said U.S. troops "shouldn't be sent all over the world." He called Obama's comments "ill-timed" and "ill-considered."

"There is a war being waged by terrorists of different types and nature across the world," Romney said. "We want, as a civilized world, to participate with other nations in this civilized effort to help those nations reject the extreme with them."

Oops.  Of course, Mitt has been known to change his mind once in a while.  It's the only thing he is consistent on.

Mitt Romney's Religious Tolerance flip-flop

Mitt Romney, 2007:

“Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle indeed if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree.”

Mitt Romney, 2010:

“Governor Romney opposes the construction of the mosque at Ground Zero. The wishes of the families of the deceased and the potential for extremists to use the mosque for global recruiting and propaganda compel rejection of this site."

Mitt Romney on Mitt Romney

This ad was made, but never released, by the John McCain Committee this past spring. His ad people now work for Fib Romney.

New Romney Nickname: Fib Romney

For a couple of months now, I have been referring to Willard Romney by the name Flip Romney. It was a reference to his anchorman looks and his tendency to flip-flop on just about everything (except his hair).

Well, I've decided that flip-flopping isn't the biggest problem Romney has.

It his problem with the truth. Whether it's a mis-speak, little white lie, or a major outright lie, Mitt seems to forget the 9th commandment.

Thou shalt not lie, even if you are running for President.

Let's take a look at some of my favorite lies of Fib Romney:

~Endorsed by the NRA in 2002. Reality: NRA gave a higher rating to his Democratic opponent.

~Lifelong NRA member. Reality: Purchased NRA "Lifetime membership" in August 2006.

~Lifelong hunter. This one came as spin to previous fib. Reality: went bunny blasting with cousins once as a teenager. "Hunted" quail on a quail farm in 2006.

~Saw dad march with MLK. Reality: Dad never marched with MLK.

~Nobody talked with God since Moses and the burning bush. I really think that Fib Romney knows this isn't true, but outright denied his faith to try and win power.

So, to my Mormon friends, I ask you: Does Fib Romney meet the requirements of an honorable and just candidate?

Flip Romney's "believers of convenience"

“Americans do not respect believers of convenience.”

-Mitt Romney, "Faith in America" December 6, 2007

Maureen Dowd (Hat Tip: KVNU):

The problem with Mitt is not his religion; it is his overeager policy shape-shifting. He did not give a brave speech, but a pandering one. Disguised as a courageous, Kennedyesque statement of principle, the talk was really just an attempt to compete with the evolution-disdaining, religion-baiting Huckabee and get Baptists to concede that Mormons are Christians.

…

The world is globalizing, nuclear weapons are proliferating, the Middle East is seething, but Republicans are still arguing the Scopes trial.

Mitt was right when he said that “Americans do not respect believers of convenience.” Now if he would only admit he’s describing himself.

While the rest of Dowd's column is terrible, she nails it on the head with these statements.

From Today's Tribune Reader's Forum:

In regard to the impressive enlarged print of the Mitt Romney quote on the front page of the Dec. 7 Tribune, "Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs, even to gain the world."
After reading the article, and in light of Mr. Romney's apparent flip-flopping on various issues, I had the following recurring thought that seems worth sharing: Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs, even to gain political office.

Ross McCollin
Salt Lake City

Romney's Pride Weekend

Anyone up for making copies and handing them out outside of Temple Square?

I mean, we are handing out official Mitt Mormon literature, aren't we?

Of course, Flip Romney has changed his mind on this issue, like every other issue....

-Bob

(Hat Tip: BYU Democrats)

Hillary's Flip-Flopping on Mudslinging causht on tape

Flip Romney's Flop on Mormon speech

Flip Romney has been saying for months no that he's not going to do a speech on it. I'm thinking Dana Carvey's "not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent."

As recently as three weeks ago:

Just three weeks ago, Romney had said at a house party in New Hampshire that political advisers had told him that such a speech was “not a good idea – it draws too much attention to that issue alone."

And Today:

The speech, titled “Faith in America,” is potentially at war with the campaign’s longtime precept that it is not a winning strategy for Romney to be identified primarily as the Mormon candidate in a Republican race dominated by Christian voters.

His challenge on Thursday morning will be to allay reservations of evangelicals, a huge bloc in the early-voting states of Iowa and South Carolina, while not making his own religion the defining issue in the wild race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Gee, could this be because he's suddenly in second place in Iowa behind a candidate who wears his religion on his sleeve.

And, it will be interesting to see how much false doctrine he spreads. When he has addressed religion, he's missed. I'll be here fact checking on Thursday.

-Bob

Flip Romney on Farm Subsidies

(hat tip: JM Bell)

2007:



1994:



-Bob

P.S. Mitt's no longer the leader in Iowa.

Orrin Thinks that Flip Romney is Infallible

Senator-for-Life Hatch, at UVSC:

Sen. Orrin Hatch told a group of Utah Valley State College students that Romney offers the GOP's best hope of winning the White House because he is a financial genius who could cure Social Security's and Medicaid's ills.
He said Romney also is the one candidate the Clintons likely fear because he is hard to smear.

Thankfully, The SideTrack has done the research for us. It probably wasn't that hard.

-Bob

Orrin and the flip-flops.

Turns out that Hatch was against executive privilege before he was for it.

Raw Story reports that Hatch came out against executive privilege several times during the Clinton administration. Now, he's in full support of it.

To be fair, the Democrats were much more in favor of it then than they are now.

However, I only bring this to you for this priceless quote from Orrin Hatch:

And we're going to just have to show that these people don't shoot straight, they're not honest, they're not decent and they shouldn't be in the White House.

-Bob

Flip Flop For Free Flapjacks Day!

I just wish today was Friday, so the Alliteration would be complete!

ANyway, today is free pancake day at my second-favorite pancake place: IHOP. Go get your free short stack today! All they ask for is a voluntary donation to the Children's Miracle Network, which is a good cause.

the flip flop comes by way of digging out my old flip flops in honor of Mitt Romney's visit to the Grand America Hotel, showing that he is a man of the people. And, he's proving the point that he isn't beholden to Mormons by waiting an entire week after announcing his bid to come to Utah.

The picture is one I took of a bathroom stall at the Grand America while attending a friend's wedding last week. Both the parents of the Bride and Groom have already given their $2300 to Mitt.

-Bob

Mitt Romney and the art of flippity-flop

The DNC gives us this pop quiz on non-Utahn Mitt's position on the issues. See how well you did:

Romney’s Position On A Woman’s Right To Choose Is:

A. Abortion Should Be Safe And Legal. “I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country… I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years that we should sustain and support it. And I sustain and support that law and the right of a woman to make that choice.” [Romney Kennedy Debate Transcript, 10/1994]

B. Not Pro-Choice Or Pro Life. “I've never used either title, pro-life or pro-choice, in the past. I said I don't favor abortion.” [Fox News, 2/26/06]

C. Firmly Pro-Life. “I recognized that we had so cheapened the value of human life, through the Roe v. Wade mentality, that I could no longer stand on the sidelines, if you will. I had to take sides. And I call myself firmly pro-life.” [CNN, 10/17/06]

D. All of the above.

Romney’s Position On A Constitutional Amendment To Ban Same-Sex Marriage:

A. Full Equality for Gays and Lesbians. “As we seek to establish full equality for America's gay and lesbian citizens, I will provide more effective leadership than my opponent [Ted Kennedy].” [Boston Globe, 10/17/94]

B. Against Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage in Massachusetts. In 2002, Romney condemned a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban both gay marriage and domestic-partner benefits in Massachusetts, despite the fact that his wife and son supported it. [Boston Globe, 3/22/02]

C. For Federal Constitutional Amendment To Ban Gay Marriage. “Massachusetts is the front line on marriage, but unless we adopt a federal amendment to protect marriage, what is happening here will unquestionably enter every other state.” [“Transcript of Romney Address to Liberty Sunday,” EvangelicalsforMitt.com, 10/16/06]

D. All of the above.

Romney’s Position On The Bush Tax Cut:

A. Refuses to Publicly Endorse Bush Tax Cuts. Romney refused to endorse tax cuts at the heart of President Bush's economic program in 2003. Romney’s spokesperson said that it’s “just not a state matter.” [Boston Globe, 4/11/03]

B. Brags About Support for Bush Tax Cuts. During a November 13, 2006 press conference held in Arizona, Romney outlined differences between himself and McCain. Romney said “he was quicker than McCain to endorse President Bush's tax cuts.” [East Valley Sun, 11/14/06]

C. All of the above.

And now, for super-duper double bonus points...

Romney’s Governorship Was A Failure Because:

A. Goals Unmet. “Romney himself admits that a number of his goals remain unmet. His inability to lower the nation's highest unemployment insurance rate, to secure merit pay for teachers, and to reinvigorate the Republican Party were among the frustrations he listed.” [Editorial, Boston Globe, 12/26/06]

B. Highest Property Taxes in 25 Years. Romney’s cuts to local aid forced Massachusetts property taxes to their highest level in 25 years. [Quincy Patriot Ledger, 12/16/05]

C. 3,000 Jobs Lost. Romney oversaw a net decrease of more than 3,000 jobs in Massachusetts. [BLS, Seasonally Adjusted Employment Statistics, 12/2002 – 10/2004]

D. All of the above.

If you guessed (D) All of the above you can go to the head of the class!