If you were reading the news yesterday, you would have thought the worst thing going on in the world involved Mitt Romney criticizing the administration's response to the ongoing attacks on embassies in the Middle East.
Yesterday, before the Cairo embassy was breached, the organization issued the statement:
The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.
After the Libya embassy was attacked, they tweeted that they still stood by their statement.
Soon after, Romney condemned the statement that was issued by the embassy, issuing a statement that read:
"I'm outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi. 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."
Almost instantly the media attacked Romney as being "irresponsible" and "ham-handed". Reporters claimed that the White House has sufficiently denounced the attacks on the embassies and distanced themselves for the controversial statement from the Cairo organization. Furthermore, they accused Romney of trying to politicize the attacks.
But rather than cave to the attacks, Romney stood his ground.
"The president takes responsibility not just for the words that come from his mouth but also from the words that come from his ambassadors, from his administration, from his embassies, from his State Department. They clearly sent mixed messages to the world," Romney said.
The mixed signals Romney referred to were the conflicting messages coming from the Cairo embassy condemning the controversial film which is said to have ignited the protests, and the statement issued by the White House distancing themselves from the Cairo's embassy's statement.
"We express immediately when we feel that the president and his administration have done something which is inconsistent with the principles of America. Simply put, having an embassy which is -- has been breached and has protesters on its grounds, having violated the sovereignty of the United States -- having that embassy reiterate a statement effectively apologizing for the right of free speech is not the right course for an administration," Romney added.
For a full timeline of the events surrounding the controversy, click here.
On radio, Glenn could not believe the attacks being made by Romney by the media following the statement.
"Let me show you what happened after, I believe it was nine U.S. soldiers were killed while the president (Obama) was running for President of the United States and he came out and he said this:
John McCain who supported the war from the start said we'd be greeted as liberators has really focused on the tactical issues in Iraq and the surge has no doubt reduced violence and I think all Americans are thrilled by that. But what George Bush and John McCain have missed consistently from the start of this process is the broader strategy. You know, was it a wise thing to go in there and what are the costs and benefits of staying there indefinitely. We're spending $10 billion a month there. We've spent $200 billion since the surge began. Meanwhile the situation where ‑‑ where the central front against terrorism should be taking place in Afghanistan, the situation has deteriorated and we have this brazen attack on a U.S. base where nine servicemen were killed.
Obama pretty blatantly had no issue using a tragedy where nine servicemen were killed to score political points for his own campaign. But he sure doesn't like it when someone does the same to him.
"There is no time, there is no time like during a campaign when you should hear the differing opinions on the issues that affect not only the country but us as individuals and the entire globe. What, Mitt Romney should shut his mouth? No. Mitt Romney should say exactly what he believes and carve out the exact differences between the two. Because you have a choice, America. You have a choice," Glenn explained.
"The media is somehow or another making Mitt Romney the bad guy in this. Somehow or another Mitt Romney should keep his opinion to himself. It's a presidential election. We should absolutely hear what Mitt Romney has to say," Glenn added.
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