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Despite last week’s Rasmussen poll showing Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney leading President Barack Obama by five percentage points, his chances of winning are slim.
Here’s one reason why.
During Romney’s stopover in Great Britain he was asked a question regarding preparations for the British Olympics.
“There are a few things that were disconcerting,” Romney said. “The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and custom officials — that obviously is not something which is encouraging.”
Concern over terrorism was evident when British authorities deployed an additional 1,200 troops one week before opening ceremonies. The news came on the heels of media coverage exposing employees working for the private security firm overseeing the games caught sleeping on the job.
If anyone understands the details behind organizing a successful Olympics it’s Mitt Romney. He did, after all, rescue the Winter Olympics 10 years ago in Salt Lake City — an accomplishment his campaign raises to highlight his business acumen.
Backlash from British media and politicians was quick. Ironically, the same media reporting security concerns for the London Olympics clobbered Romney for his comments referring to the same. Romney’s reference however was construed as Olympics bashing and highbrow.
For his part Mitt Romney attempted to soften his criticism later that day. “My experience with regards to the Olympics is it’s impossible for absolutely no mistakes to occur,” he said.
It was too late. The British press was already running with his Olympic “gaffe” — at least that’s what they and our national press were calling it. Romney, just coming off defending his Bain Capital connection, was playing defense again.
Now comparisons between Salt Lake City and London are clouding Romney’s Olympic success. But worse than this was Romney’s capitulation to the media and Olympic officials in London.
Americans like winners. And this is the Olympics. So hearing Mitt Romney struggling to clarify the truth (what everyone else was thinking) reflected weakness. Instead of back pedaling, Romney should have held his ground and told Olympic organizers and the press, “You can’t handle the truth!” just as Jack Nicholson did in the film “A Few Good Men.” This candidate seems to lack the ability to firmly stand his ground against the press. New Jersey Governor Chris Christi he’s not.
Romney must understand by now that the majority of national media in this country and abroad lean left. Socialism appeals to them. And Obama is their guy, thus his more favorable treatment.
Take Obama’s “You didn’t build that” speech for example. Those in the media did all they could to convey his words were taken out of context.
He really didn’t mean what he said. We didn’t understand what he was saying. Our teachers made us successful. And we should be thankful for all those roads and bridges the government built for us. All hail to government.
As for the campaign ahead, it’s going to be difficult to sell Americans that an unemployment rate of 8.3 percent and an anemic quarterly GDP growth of 1.5 percent are signs of a growing economy. But with the national media in your opponent’s back pocket, a public growing more accustomed to government handouts and Mitt Romney’s inability to throw a punch, his chances of winning the gold medal look bleak.
Mitt Romney has been playing this Olympic political sport for well over a year now. If he doesn’t understand that winning this game requires more than playing defense then he’ll lose come November.
Richard Esposito is publisher of the Mountain Democrat. His column appears each Wednesday.
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
James E.August 08, 2012 - 1:16 am
I hope all know that Rasmussen is an outfit that provides poll results supporting Republicans. And, yes, Editor Esposito strange that as a working editor you don't remember that your teachers taught you to read and write and perhaps an older editor taught you the ropes of your profession. So, you didn't do it by yourself. Did you?
RichAugust 08, 2012 - 4:46 am
Whats truly shocking to me is the incredible incompetency of the Romney campaign on display here. Even more disturbing to me are the comments of the Romney aide, about how Obama doesn't understand the special relationship because he doesn't share, "our Anglo-Saxon heritage". I think he is destined to be but a footnote in history.
James E.August 08, 2012 - 8:32 am
Obama doesn't share our Angle-Saxon heritage. Translation: I'm white, he's not.
Penny B.August 08, 2012 - 8:51 am
Mr. E: Do (unsubstantiated) charges of racism trump legitimate citizenship questions? Two separate State Dept. documents obtained through FOIA requests suggest Barack Obama became an Indonesian citizen when he moved there with his mother and stepfather in the late ‘60s. Further, an Indonesian school registration card presents evidence that Obama was an Indonesian citizen when in school there. http://www.scribd.com/doc/35163631/Strunk-v-Dept-of-State-FOIA-Release-Stanley-Ann-Dunham-Obama-Soetoro-Passport-Application-File-7-29-10#download
James E.August 08, 2012 - 9:33 am
Ms. Penny B, yes, I understand that's the latest from Glenn Beck. Please.
Penny B.August 08, 2012 - 9:46 am
Mr. E: Get help using the internet. The provided FOIA documents you ignore are unrelated to Glenn Beck blather. Please!!!
James E.August 08, 2012 - 9:55 am
Ms. Penny B, if you have the evidence contact the FBI as, if so, we have an illegal president. I'll be watching the news about you reporting this to the appropriate authorities and the Congress beginning impeachment proceedings. Good job, Ms. Penny B. You have saved the nation.
Penny B.August 08, 2012 - 11:37 am
Mr. E.: Your interest in political house cleaning is so encouraging.
for James E.August 08, 2012 - 1:26 pm
Lots of speculation could be put to rest were President Obama less secretive. However, on his very 1st day in office he implemented & signed Executive Order 13489. That EO states that only the personal records the President chooses to make public will be released.
prime timeAugust 08, 2012 - 1:32 pm
Obama has not taken a question from the press in more than two months
REWAugust 08, 2012 - 7:02 pm
It is well known the ammount of government money that was given to help Rommeny save the Olympics in 2002. John McCain was even opposed to the ammount of pork involved.
prime time, wrong again just keep repeating what you hear on FOX NewsAugust 08, 2012 - 9:40 pm
President Obama was interviewed by; KKTV, CNN, NPR and BBC News - Syria unrest: Barack Obama condemns 'brutal' Hama raidwww.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-Aug 1, 2011 – US President Barack Obama has condemned the Syrian authorities' ... In an interview with the BBC on Monday, UK Foreign Secretary William ...
prime time , wrong againAugust 08, 2012 - 10:09 pm
Keith Koffler of the White House Dossier has an article reporting that "President Obama has not taken a serious question from the White House press corps in nearly seven weeks." When you get into it it turns out that the president did do an interview with Charlie Rose on July 12, and the president also did some local television interviews. What makes me chuckle is FOX news is one of those that the president is not answering or giving interviews to
Bad PennyAugust 09, 2012 - 9:05 am
Another canon in birther mythology is the claim that Barack Obama signed an Executive Order his first day in office sealing his records. While he did sign an executive order (Executive Order 13489), the truth of the matter is a bit different than what the birthers claim. As in 180 degrees different. On 18 January 1989, then-President Ronald Reagan signed Executive Order 12667, which established policies and procedures to govern "Executive Privilege" from current and former Presidents in connection with their Presidential Records, which among other things allowed the Archivist of the United States to release those records unless, within 30 days from notification, the current or former President says "no". On 5 November 2001, the-President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13233, which restricted those records for a period of 12 years after the President in question left office and increased the time to 90 days. In addition, it allowed the current President to override the requests of the former President in regards to those records. It specifically revoked Reagan's order of 18 January 1989. So what did Obama's Executive Order 13489 do? It is almost word for word an exact copy of Reagan's order of 18 January 1989, and has the effect of expanding access to Presidential records by specifically revoking Bush's order of 5 November 2001. Here's the other thing that birthers don't seem to understand about Executive Order 13489. It only applies to Presidential Records, not the records before one became president. And there's nothing in Executive Order 13489 that hides the pre-Presidential records at all. It's interesting how the birthers could take something that is almost identical to what Ronald Reagan did in office, and turn it 180 to claim it's something it's really not. The myth that Obama signed an order hiding his records? Busted.
JohnAugust 29, 2012 - 8:29 pm
Mr. Esposito obviously did not watch the actual video of President Obama's entire comment, only the FOX video. Why am I not surprised? Penny B: Quick, take off your tin foil hat. Your brain already gives signs of frying. Believing important-sounding stuff like "FOIA" and other gibberish peddled by Beck and Limbaugh, and passing it off as 'fact' to the gullible does not make it an actual, verifiable 'fact'. An American child (under the age of 18) cannot lose his/her citizenship because he/she is not able to give his/her 'informed consent', regardless of what the parents may wish...or the canards peddled by right wing propagandists.