Dead Ambassador dragged through streets, MSM furious at Romney criticism of Obama
Update: Peggy Noonan organizes circular firing squad
If there ever were a doubt, no matter how small, that the mainstream media is deeply in bed with the Obama campaign, the reaction to the killing of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and several other Americans should put such doubt to rest.
Beginning early this morning, when news was just breaking, the left-blogosphere and mainstream media, led by MSNBC, has attempted to shift the focus from the Obama administration’s failure to protect our embassies and for its apologies (both before and after the attack on the Cairo Embassy) to whether Mitt Romney was wrong to criticize Obama last night.
No, I’m not kidding.
Here was Chuck Todd on Morning Joe:
This meme then was picked up by a blogger at MaddowBlog:
Wouldn’t be surprised if Romney’s sleazy move on Libya backfires. Exploiting US deaths is ugly, unwise on.msnbc.com/Sbfjyp
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen) September 12, 2012
And by Greg Sargent at WaPo, with whom I got into a discussion:
@theplumlinegs Wow, desperate much to shift focus?
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) September 12, 2012
@theplumlinegs good luck w blaming Romney – what was Obama doing yesterday, we know not taking steps 2 protect Embassy
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) September 12, 2012
The meme then was picked up almost everywhere in the MSM, as this post at National Journal shows:
A ham-handed and inaccurate response from Romney njour.nl/U7scLxThere is a reason why politix stops at water’s edge
— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) September 12, 2012
Here was Romney’s press conference in which the media swarmed to attack him over his criticism of Obama last night. To his credit, Romney did not back down.
Obama did not take any questions during his short statement.
So now the focus of the MSM is whether Romney made a mistake, not the dead Ambassador, not the Obama administration failures, not the complete disarray of U.S. MidEast policy, not the rise of Islamists, no none of that.
Update: Some tweets I retweeted this morning ….
The world is on fire and the MSM’s most important issue today: The timing of Romney’s statement about it.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) September 12, 2012
The developing Narrative: How dare Romney address Obama’s foreign policy while Obama is in the midst of failure? @noltenc
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) September 12, 2012
Romney is holding his own against Obama’s press corps.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) September 12, 2012
He’s amazing! –> NBC’s @chucktodd Takes Obama-Shilling To New Level: Reading Romney’s Mind shar.es/utAZy via @sharethis
— John Nolte(@NolteNC) September 12, 2012
Look, media. They dragged an Ambassador’s body through the streets. At this point, you’re kind of burying the lead with horserace coverage.
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) September 12, 2012
Obama attacks Romney for criticizing the same apology Obama just disavowedbit.ly/SbtNOM
— Sheya (@Sheya) September 12, 2012
AND, looks like has-been Peggy Noonan is trying to form a circular firing squad. I’ve always said this is a two front political battle, and Noonan today proves it:
Mitt Romney demonstrates Reaganesque commitment to American resolve in our might. Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan trashes Mitt. WTH?
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) September 12, 2012
Why is Peggy Noonan criticizing Romney saying he’s done himself no favors in last few hours?
— David Limbaugh (@DavidLimbaugh) September 12, 2012
AND, Ben Smith and BuzzFeed jump on the meme, touting two unnamed former Bush and McCain camps foreign policy experts without giving any indication how senior they were or what their politics are now, in order to present the criticism of Romney as bipartisan, Foreign Policy Hands Voice Disbelief At Romney Cairo Statement:
Mitt Romney’s sharply-worded attack on President Obama over a pair of deadly riots in Muslim countries last night has backfired badly among foreign policy hands of both parties, who cast it as hasty and off-key, released before the facts were clear at what has become a moment of tragedy….
“They were just trying to score a cheap news cycle hit based on the embassy statement and now it’s just completely blown up,” said a very senior Republican foreign policy hand, who called the statement an “utter disaster” and a “Lehman moment” — a parallel to the moment when John McCain, amid the 2008 financial crisis, failed to come across as a steady leader.
That will be the new angle. This is Romney’s Lehman moment, it’s over, he might as well suspend his campaign.
‘a very senior Republican foreign policy hand’ on Romney statement:”utter disaster” … a “Lehman moment”buzzfeed.com/bensmith/forei…
— Robert Wright (@robertwrighter) September 12, 2012
Could this turn into Romney’s “suspending the campaign” moment?
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) September 12, 2012
UPDATE 2:20 p.m. — Just when you think it could not get any worse, The Right Scoop has the transcript and audio of reporters coordinating questions prior to the Romney press conference.
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Comments
Is it likely the MSM will wake up prior to the election? The media response to Romney is plainly ridiculous. What else has to happen to get them to sit up and take notice of the gross mismanagement in this administration?
I am feeling rather retro today. I find seeing innocent people slain and their bodies dragged through the streets more offensive than some poorly made video about Mohammed.
The problem is not that the Main Stream Morons are not awake. It is that they have prostituted themselves to the Leftist-Statist agenda om exchange for perceived power and are willing to blatantly and ruthlessly lie, twist and/or ignore facts and events, and enable the Leftists to cover failures by attacking those who would criticize those failures.
We’re on the right track. MSLSD has abandoned any pretense of being a “news” organization. (does ANYONE still think their change of tagline to “lean forward” was a coincidence?) There are grumblings in the wind of the Big Three nightly “news” anchors that they are furious with their editors/management about the fact that they are constantly having to “editorialize” instead of reporting, but, as before, they are prostituting themselves for money and influence instead of their self-proclaimed mission of “speaking truth to power.”
When a U.S. ambassador is murdered by the very people that the president of the United States sent weapons and help to so that they could be in a position to take over the country and therefore the embassy–and the press focuses on a comment made by that president’s political opponent, it’s unambiguously clear that these people happily consider themselves Obama’s champions. They know that, without their protection, Obama would be down by 20+ points and lose in Mondalian fashion.
I bet Jimmah Carrrhter is green with envy today, watching the Mushroom Media doing such effective triage.
“If only…”
I wonder how many intel briefings Pres. Empty Chair skipped in the last 10 days?
On Tuesday, Sean Smith, a Foreign Service Information Management Officer assigned to the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, typed a message to the director of his online gaming guild: ”Assuming we don’t die tonight. We saw one of our ‘police’ that guard the compound taking pictures.” The consulate was under siege, and within hours, a mob would attack, killing Smith along with three others, including the U.S. ambassador.
————————–
I can’t vouch for that, just reporting.
The Founders are rolling over and over in their graves.
I doubt they imagined a day when the entire “press” would give itself over, body and soul, to an alien philosophy obsessed with crushing the liberty that was so hard-won, and the Constitution that followed.
These are dire days for the Republic.
The MSM have collective balls the size of one female rat. In other words, the size of The Boy King’s & His Regime. Shameful. Loathsome. SOP.)-:
The body of one of your Ambassadors being dragged through the streets? Had it been anyone, even Carter, we’d be threatening to send the bombers in.
Obama?
He tells his media lapdogs to attack Romney’s response and schedules a campaign stop.
The NYT front page covered Romney’s Vietnam history…
but not the attacks on TWO US missions on 9/11.
[…] Jacobson at his Legal Insurrection blog has been covering the reaction of main stream media outlets after the murder of the American […]
Someone should just spell it out simply for the media: If you’re more worried about whether Romney was mean to Obama rather than how the Executive Branch failed to protect our diplomat and other Americans, your journalistic priorities: Fix them.
I still think that the instant it becomes apparent Obama cannot win, the media will turn on him. This will have little to do with Obama, but will be a selfish attempt to salvage their credibility, sacrificed in service to socialism. They will still see socialism as the best and fastest horse in the race, but Obama was merely a poor jockey who ‘promised well and performed but ill’.
[Robert Burns]
I sincerely hope that you are correct, and that the revelation happens sooner than later.
As the Administration goes out of its way to tell us that we cannot be going around insulting Islam, will it now drop its insulting rules that violate the freedom of Catholics?
And since it is wrong to insult Islam, the next time some “artist” decides to do a PissChrist, can we Christians drag him out of his home and drag him through the streets of New York?
Did I hear correctly that the President just claimed in his television response that the body of the Ambassador was being carried to through the streets to the hospital? Did he really say that or is my racist mind playing tricks on me?
Not sure, but I think it was S of S Clinton who said that. Same difference however.
Either we bith heard wrong or he did make that claim, because I nearly choked when I heard him say that. The details are too fuzzy for Mitt to push that, but the photos I’ve seen certainly make it appear that they gave our ambassador the same ‘respect’ they gave Gaddafi and not the ‘respect’ our President claims.
You can see clearly in the one photo that one of the Freedom Fighters was administrating the Heimlich Maneuver.
(do I really need a sarc tag?)
Amazing isnt it? MSM admonishes Romney for speaking freely about the horrible events. MSM wants to make it all about Romney and will handle things so Obama doesnt miss any campaign events.
And good for Romney in exposing the obvious.
This is and should be a hideous embarrassment for the Administration.
From Hillary’s boastful: We saw, we came. he’s dead (referring to arab spring effort at regime change)
to another empty promise by The Great American Pharoah
campaigning in 2007, he said, “I truly believe that the day I’m inaugurated . . . not only does the country look at itself differently, but the world looks at America differently. . . . The world will have confidence that I am listening to them, and that our future and our security is tied up with our ability to work with other countries in the world.”
We see now how all that is working out.
Has the UN come out and condemned the murder of our ambassador? Or is there an epidemic of empty chairs?
Loved the comment a few posts back (by Henry H), kinda says it all….
“Libya has just set the US consulate on fire.
Obama sending ship loaded with marshmallows.”
Stunned. Just stunned. On my knees, praying.
I only just now had time to watch the above 8 min presser Romney held. I was impressed. He looks and sounds presidential, certainly far more so than Obama ever does. One minor quibble, one of stagecraft – he does great while he’s speaking, but he needs to cease with that odd little half smile he assumes at the end of each response. It just looks wrong. Maybe it’s just me.
(And thank you to JimMtnViewCalUSA).
Nice to see Journolist is still around!!! Frankly, it will be apparent to most Americans that Romney is 1000 times more of a leader, and that he takes 1,000,000 times tougher questions thatn Obama — who ducked quickly out of his own press conference ….and is going to Vegas.
Not to inject politics into this too much, but…
If Obama reacts appropriately and retaliates strongly, everyone will forget (the media will ensure it) the weak and treacherous initial response.
In short, if Obama plays his cards right, this little crisis could get him re-elected. Yet more proof (if anyone needed it) that the Devil is in bed with the Democrats.
Not a chance. Because we are not going to let people forget the initial weak response and we will show people the retractions, changes in direction and other “damage control” actions that the Obama Administration keeps having to take.
Things especially like the DNC platform debacle, which already anyone with half-a-brain KNOWS God and Jerusalem were left out ON PURPOSE hoping that no one would notice, and when the Conservatives did notice, had to be restored (over the visible objection of the delegates) lest they become a very large attack point.
If Obama reacts appropriately and retaliates strongly, everyone will forget (the media will ensure it) the weak and treacherous initial response.
I guess you’d have to name at least one instance that Obama reacted appropriately to a foreign crisis for that to be a plausible scenario.
track records…
I seem to remember a whole bunch of dead Americans who, even as they were floating in the waters of Katrina, were Bush’s fault—that racist who didn’t care about black people.
Come to think of it, wasn’t 9/11 also his fault, too? Didn’t no less than Hillary Clinton insinuate that Bush was forewarned about the attacks, asking what the president knew and when he knew it? Why, yes she did. Joined by Howard Dean and others.
You can be sure if Romney had said nothing, that that, too, would’ve been shameful.
Obama didn’t emphasize our right to free speech and freedom of religion … he emphasized “religious tolerance”.
That strikes me as his form of mild sharia. He is saying the person was wrong to be so intolerant of Islam, even though the film only expresses opinion, it does nothing to prevent freedom of Muslims to worship.
As with the murders for pictures of Muhammad, or the woman that had to go into hiding for suggesting a “draw Muhammad Day”, Obama seemed to agree that our free speech was a problem, “but you didn’t have to go and hit me”, as the cowardly lion would say.
Romney was decisive and presidential. His sometimes annoying (to me) head tilt and tight lip expression was gone. He sounded like a competent CEO … handled repeated attack questions well.
How can you tell a progressive? When he speaks about “religious tolerance” it’s about group A being tolerant of group B’s beliefs, but not vice versa.
It’s why these people border on being demented, facists, or fill-in the blank with anything but reasonable.
Peggy Noonan speaking as if she has definitive genius on all things political makes me sick. I’m outraged at Americans being killed with impunity. Obama says those responsible will be brought to justice. Anyone believe him ? He couldn’t have been less emotional reading that statement. Struck me he was annoyed his campaign was interrupted.
Thank you Prof. Jacobson for being in the front lines on this one.
If Romney had not spoken, they would have squealed like the pigs they are.
Key question. Why was security at our diplomatic stations across the middle east, and especially in those places that are demonstrably unstable, not adequate to the task on the anniversary of 9-11? Maybe they think the date of these events was random coincidence?
The MSM seems to be trying to obscure the fact that the film was actually made by Coptic Christians. Wherever Islamist have control, and especially in Egypt since the overthrow, Coptic Christians are under assault and are being murdered with the intent to wipe them out, or kill them off. Jones was just one player. Oh, and the film is months old.
For MSM to be disturbed about Romney’s comments as somehow ill timed is ironic considering what we all saw yesterday
NY Times reporter: Bush White House didn’t listen to 9/11 warnings
But that’s different they reason.
“I ask myself, how could this happen? How could this happen in a country we helped liberate, in a city we helped save from destruction?” Clinton said. “This question reflects just how complicated and, at times, how confounding the world can be.”
SMART diplomacy…!?!?
“Clinton said, “This question reflects just how complicated and, most of the time, how confounding my world can be.”
Fixed it for her-
With all her background, education, First Lady, Sec. of State, etc to make such a statement is just another reason why she should not be considered as a Presidential candidate.
PS
Peggy Noonan is completely predictable. She will criticize with enthusiasm any Republican who is not named Reagan. Either she is a secret agent of the Dimocrats, or she has a pathological attachment to a man who passed from the political stage some decades ago.
Doesn’t poor Peggy Noonan always miss the mark?
[…] The Supine Media and its Leftie confreres chime in: It’s not that Obama is feckless, but that Romney doesn’t know when to shut up!. Share this:FacebookTwitterLinkedIn […]
Read this – this is EXACTLY what Obama and the Media have become
http://pjmedia.com/barryrubin/2012/09/10/barack-obama-is-a-dangerous-leftist-of-a-new-kind-not-a-communist-muslim-marxist-or-socialist/
Excellent article! Thanks. It’s much better than my little rant. 🙂
[…] up his criticism of the administration in the wake of the US embassy attack in Cairo yesterday, listens to the MSM trying to set up a premise that he is somehow a knee-jerk reactionary in these so…, but he still takes their […]
Is there no video out there of democrats criticizing a republican president? Better still how about Obama while he was running for president? Let’s illustrate these hypocrites with their own words/actions!
How could you forget ‘sick and tired’ Hillary? http://youtu.be/NJxmpTMGhU0
There is a reason why John Nolte never refers to the media as simply the media. He correctly always refers to them as the “corrupt media”. As we all should.
Obama, should he get elected again, is merely a symptom of the real problem – the Worldview mindset of the power elite in our country. The County Commissioners, the School Board, the University Professors, the State and Federal Legislators,the news journalists, the teachers, the police, the judges and lawyers – so many have a viral infection called liberal progressive. This doesn’t apply to everyone, but enough are infected that we are in danger of losing our liberty and freedom.
Romney, should he get elected, will have these same bobble-heads spewing the same empty philosophies towards him. We’ll still have the same problems until we inoculate against this nasty viral beastie.
The facts you point out are those that give me the greatest doubts about whether we can ever get our country back. What you describe is the result of decades of liberal brainwashing of our kids as they grow, chronologically, into adults. I don’t see an easy way to get this turned around.
Peggy Noonan blew her cover a long time ago. I wonder if anybody saw her piece a few weeks in which she asserted that she wasn’t going to tolerate any criticism of “Uncle Joe” Biden. He was just too lovable and precious a character.
What a fool.
I thought Romney was excellent in his press conference. I’m surprised and delighted he took up the free speech argument. He’s got to hang tough on this.
I never supported our intervention in Libya and I blame the government of Libya and Barack Obama for what happened at our consulate and to our diplomats. The government of Libya knows how the crazies over there feel about us and didn’t have enough protection for our consulate and our government should have known that there are plenty of “extremists” in Libya and we should have protected our consulate better. Why did we not have enough protection for our consulate? Because of Barack Obama’s bad foreign policy judgement.
Obama’s done. End of story. http://macsmind.com/wordpress/2012/09/obamas-apology-to-terrorist-on-911-remember-it/
[…] Dead Ambassador dragged through streets, MSM furious at Romney criticism of Obama. The media regards Obama with the devotion that Islamists grant to the Koran. Any criticism and […]
Re Mitt Romney’s comments, what’s not to like? No waffling, no ambivalence, nothing about Islam, Christianity, religion, misunderstanding, empathy, blah, blah, blah; lots about the empty chair. Doesn’t do “what ifs.” Wonderful. If reporters ever catch on to that (doubtful) half of them will be silenced immediately. Romney scored big points with detractors today.
This may be off topic but, as to not taking questions until he’s done (Rumsfeld!), a good thing, why does it require a comment, professor? This “interrupt if you have questions” approach to every announcement, public statement, speech, lecture, course, and presentation is annoying and a favorite practice of pandering, aloof speakers addressing listeners assumed to be needy and seeking self esteem. (That and addressing the listeners as “you guys” while lounging casually on the side of the podium.) Listen. Take notes. Clarify, advance, or attack the speaker’s position after you’ve heard it. Don’t waste everyone’s time inserting yourself into the speaker’s time. We all know how smart you think you are, how far out in front of the speaker you think you are, and how badly you want him/her to cut to the chase and stop wasting your valuable time. And we know it’s not true and could give a rat’s behind.
MSNBC? The thing is a noise pollutant. Its frequency spectrum and satellite time ought to be transferred to something productive and useful like tracking floating trash in the oceans.
Pushing the talking heads aside, what I see here is the unfocused Obama foreign policy coming apart at the seams just like back in ’79 with J. Carter except in this case it is much worse.
Romney was right on target in his remarks and handled the left leaning question and answer period very well.
Our salvation lies with the results on November 6, 2012 where we will have the opportunity to evict this grossly incompetent administration…
Hey Professor: Point 6 just happened last night! When will Point 7 happen and what will it be? The world is getting more unsettled and the USA government is preparing for peace in our times! Looks like Munich all over again! 🙁
The death of the Ambassador to Libya is the more important news and deserves the lion’s share of the attention, but why didn’t the President even mention Egypt in the statement he read to the press? As long as the rioters don’t kill our ambassador it’s not worth mentioning?
Way to give the Egyptian mob a pass, Mr. President. Glad to know you’re fully engaged while flying to Vegas to raise money.
The Administration was caught flat footed.
GW was blamed for a few minutes pause on 9/11 to this day. Bill Clinton was lamenting his bad luck in having it happen on his watch.
After the 2008 election, it was floated that GW should step down and let Obama handle the financial crisis. He set up the bogus “Office of the President Elect”.
Romney was great, no apologies needed. He was timely and appropriate, and the left hates that.
To clarify, Bill Clinton wished the 9/11 attack had been on his own watch, so he could be a hero.
Occutards and Islamic Jihadi join forces and attack US consulate… kill US envoy.
So many called for An Act of WAR .. now we look like knee-jerk warmongers.
Hey, you were setup to by Obama and MSM, caught once again responding to liberal hay makers instead of first chilling, condemn act, make case for conservative position and draw contrast to Obama failures.
Republicans refuse to quit taking the bait..
KISS strategy , what fools.
Focus: there are bigger issues here, Iran has been sponsoring terrorism and killing 100’s of our US troops for over a decade … what?? who ?? when ?? where??
-crickets.
“Occutards and Islamic Jihadi join forces and attack US consulate…”
I saw Occupy-style Guy Fawkes masks being worn by the protesters in some of the media coverage.
ACAB graffiti (all cops are bastids)
Maybe they should check Nancy “God Bless them” Pelosi’s laptop for Occupy organizational charts, email communique, and direction.
It may be time to recognize the service of Amb. Chris Stevens.
By all accounts, he was exactly what the United States seeks in an ambassador.
Expertise, professionalism, and passion for his mission.
The right man for the job.
Obama got one right, then lost him via his own apathy and ignorance.
May his family find peace.
Yeah, Obama knew for some time of threats made against Embassy’s … now it’s all about Romney’s response instead of Obama failures.
Conservatives reacting with initial emotional rage was not good.
p.s. I’m fully confident in US Intel community and our military to respond appropriately, on our terms, to hold accountable those responsible for individual or organized acts of terrorism.
Conservatives reacting with initial emotional rage was not good.
Somehow “conservatives” should somehow break the bonds of normal human reaction, and go stand in a corner and count to ten?
Iran’s Supreme Leader Praises U.S. ‘Occupy’ Movement
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/iran-s-supreme-leader-praises-us-occupy-movement
Count to ten or however many digits your paws have got.
The entire middle east is about to spin out of control right before our eye’s… focus!
Timeline:
Egypt burns
Obama’s administration apologizes for deserving to be attacked.
Romney condemns apology as mistake
Media attacks Romney
Obama admin retracts apology …
ambassador and other diplomats murdered
(or was retraction not till after murders?)
Still no word from President Empty Chair
Media still attacking Romney
Obama spends 11 hours reading
My Pet Goat“Rules for Radicals”Romney presser to condemn attacks, clarify his comments
(since he was under media assault)
Media continues assault
Finally, Obama appears to read a script condemning American failure on “religious tolerance”, reads some strongly worded script with little emotion.
Media continues attacking Romney.
Timeline:
Egypt burns
Obama’s administration apologizes for deserving to be attacked.
Romney condemns apology as mistake
Media attacks Romney
The Left is claiming that the embassy’s first apology happened before the attack, not afterwards:
If anyone has references which refute Marshall’s version of events, I’d appreciate them.
I’m not sure on the first apology, but after Romney first condemned, then Obama admin’ said it was not passed through them,
BUT,then (from Megyn Kelly) WH again basically reconfirmed the apology statement.
But I don’t know if the initial apology was before the attack. It was talked about last night with Brett Baier and Krauthammer in context that the first apology was a response to the attack.
But claiming truth is just a lie, manufactured by either FOX or right wing blogs, is standard procedure for the left these days.
Here ya go:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/the-embassy-attacks-a-timeline/article/2507748
The first apology was at noon … (in response to what might be a good question)
But after the attack, their next response was: “Approximately 8 pm EST: The U.S. Embassy in Cairo tweets:
This morning’s condemnation (issued before protest began) still stands. As does our condemnation of unjustified breach of the Embassy.
The Libya violence was reported by AP at about 8pm, but only of one dead, not the ambassador. After that Romney had his response.
I think a clearer timeline will emerge. But the embassy’s first response was indeed to confirm the apology, while also condemning the attack. After the attack, I think ANY mention that US religious intolerance is to be is out of place. Our freedom of speech should have been trumpeted. Romney did that, Obama spoke of “religious tolerance”.
Thank you very much indeed. IMO your link has settled the point. Contrary to the Left’s assertions, Romney’s initial statement is completely defensible:
1. The first apology was at noon … (in response to what might be a good question)
In effect, that was an apology for provoking Muslims to destroy the Twin Towers.
(As soon as the towers fell, a few people immediately asked what we did to make them do this to us. NB: FDR did not open his Pearl Harbor speech with an apology for anti-Japanese racism in the US.)
2. But after the attack, their next response was: “Approximately 8 pm EST: The U.S. Embassy in Cairo tweets:
Yep. I’m with you.
3. I think a clearer timeline will emerge. But the embassy’s first response was indeed to confirm the apology, while also condemning the attack.
This nails it. Right after the attack, the first words tweeted by the embassy were an affirmed apology; the condemnation of the attack followed. Romney’s words make perfect sense when applied to that second apology.
4. The whole point of having an embassy is to provide a local voice for the ambassador’s government. Romney is correct to hold the administration responsible.
5. If the administration purports to disavow the embassy’s tweets, why has the ambassador not been relieved? Why has an investigation into the source of the tweets not been announced?
6. To summarize: The embassy issued two de facto apologies. The first was wrt 9/11. The second was after the embassy attack. Romney’s statement referred to the second apology. The Left is pretending it referred to the first, so as to falsely accuse Romney of jumping the gun.
7. The Left is implying an analogy with McCain’s reaction to the financial crisis. The analogy is as maliciously false and demagogic as their accusation of Romney.
The analogy is also reckless. Right now it is playing well on Intrade, but it has potential to compound the political damage from the attacks. For that to happen, the Romney campaign must respond correctly, and RINOs must start supporting Romney or at least STFU.
8. Thanks again, Rhino.
“While Romney stood behind his initial criticism of Obama, not everybody on the Romney team appeared to agree. In an interview with National Journal’s Major Garrett, John Sununu, a top Romney surrogate, said the campaign should have been more cautious.
“They probably should have waited,” the former New Hampshire governor told National Journal. “You look at the way things unfolded, you look at the timing of it, they probably should have waited.”
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/romney-attacks-obama-sending-mixed-signals-aftermath-libya-145247340–election.html
Et tu, Sununu? Unbelievable.
Romney’s words and the rationale and timing for them are unassailable. A foundational principle of our society was undermined by our own government. Our haste and need to appease, not Romney’s critique, likely led to greater violence. If others in the Romney camp start spinning or disqualifying his remarks I’m going to get sick.
Rest easy.
Gingrich was on CNN this morning. Even though the hosts (sorry, don’t know who they are) exhibited outright rage at both himself and Romney, Newt was forcefully measured, and took their loaded questions and threw them right back in their loathing faces.
Isn’t Obama supposed to understand Muslims? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the nutyiest of the nuts might find special significance in the 11th anniversary of 9/11.
Obama also skipped all his daily intelligence briefs late week.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2012/09/12/Exclusive-Obama-Skipped-Intel-Briefings-Week-Before-Embassy-Attacks
“Isn’t Obama supposed to understand Muslims?”
Even if he does, it is not sufficient. He must also understand himself. That is, overconfidence and arrogance can corrupt and negate understanding.
Oh, and give ’em hell, Romney. And go to hell leftist media trolls. Regular Joe and Jane America stand up for this country. Be not afraid of the bullies.
Unless Obama corrects the apology given by embassy staff and responds decisively to this mortal provocation, then there will be another 9/11 or, more likely, progressive confrontations between Muslims and, not only infidels, but national Muslims, throughout Africa and Asia.
It still surprises me when Muslims are not held to the same standards as other people and especially as white Europeans. Is it because Europeans had the strength to repel their invasion so many years ago? Did that legitimatize the rape, pillage, and slavery conducted by the Islamic caliphate? The resemblance between imperial Muslims and communists/socialists, but especially the international variety, is uncanny.
The MSM is going to attack Romney no matter what he says or when he says it. His best course is precisely what he did in this case – go with his principles and instincts as to timing and content.
Exactly. How many do we know have in positions of leadership who thought they were smart enough to use the media to play to the crowd, when all the while it was the media using them to play to the crowd the way it wanted.
Romney, like a tennis player, needs to play “his game.” If he leaves it and tries to play the other player’s game, he’s bound to lose. Remember, “match point” comes only at the end, not the beginning nor in the middle.
Unlike Commander-in-chief-thin-skin, I think Romney can cope with some “boos” along the way.
The way he effortlessly handled a clearly hostile media in the above video reveals the experience he gained as a GOP governor in the People’s Republic of Massachusetts. Factor in the business expertise and personal high character and Romney has the potential to make for a fine president. (Please note the qualifier ‘potential’).
[…] East.The press politicizes — because it can no longer help itself — even as it cries “politicizing is bad” to one side but never the other.Roll over, Mencken, roll over in that grave. Although, he might […]
The left lives for moments like this. There is no right answer to avoid their attack. They need to be told clearly they are a joke. Let the mocking being. We just need to stay the course and let them flounder in whichever way pleases them.
There have been indications in recent months that radical, armed Islamic groups have gained a foothold in Libya since the fall of the Qaddafi regime.
One of the groups to emerge in post-revolution Libya, Ansar al-Sharia, claimed responsibility Wednesday for the attack in Benghazi…
Maybe if Obama had not been skipping a staggering amount of intelligence briefings for golf, campaigning and fundraisers he might have been aware of stuff like “There are known knowns.”
This is Joe Biden’s fault for continuous Osama-spiking. Of course the MSM is going after Romney — what else can they do?
So… the left is jumping on Romney for condemning a statement issued by the American Embassy in Cairo and reiterated while the protesters were storming the ground because the story of what happened at the consulate in Libya hadn’t unfolded yet?
The deaths in Libya don’t change what was said in Cairo.
They are condemning Romney for condemning an embassy press release that the White House also condemned. The mind reels.
You missed one point, the press release from the Egyptian embassy came before the the ambassador to Libya was killed, and thus could hardly have been trying to justify an event that hadn’t yet occurred.
Ron Fournier:
“There is a reason why politix stops at water’s edge.”
So as not to impede the apology tour peace dividends of Obama’s Cairo speech?
I got your “new beginning” with the Muslim world hanging right here, Ronny Sweetheart.
LukeHandCool (who woke up depressed and thought it would be a nice, typical depressing day … and then came across this maddening madness. Preemptive apologies, apologies for not being guilty, apologies after-the-fact for something we’re not guilty of … this fetishized apologizing does not work!!!)
Hmmm. I don’t seem to remember this ‘water’s edge’ policy in effect for Democrats during the Iraq war. In fact, I struggle to think of a single Democrat who didn’t disparage Bush’s foreign policy during an active war. Funny the way political norms shift and shimmy, eh?
Oh, your memory must be failing, Our ‘Enry.
Many a Democratic Hollywood star embraced the Peggy Noonan Doctrine’s “discretion is the better way to go” tenet and jumped on a plane just to jet back to American terra firma before badmouthing American foreign policy. That’s the way I remember it! Same with Al Gore, Jimmy Carter, etc.
Didn’t Harry Reid jet back from somewhere just to declare “The war is lost” to the appreciation of the families of our troops (who are sticklers for “water’s edge” protocol, just like the mainstream media, obviously) still fighting in Iraq at the time?
Pull the rug out from underneath our troops like Harry Reid, (and the MSM is cool with that), but for God’s sake don’t recklessly criticize an appeasing apology that the White House itself has completely disowned.
It all depends on your personal, subjective definition of “water’s edge,” I guess.
Roll the the videos of Chuck Todd, Greg Sargent, et al, outraged at Harry Reid’s infinitely more important declaration that “The war is lost.”
Roll ’em.
Particularly galling was Senator John Kerry (he’s a Viet Nam vet, you know) calling our troops terrorists, rapists, and such at the same moment they were dying on the battlefield.
My brother-in-law, raised a Democrat, is a Vietnam swift boat vet … and he really doesn’t like to hear the mention of Kerry’s name for the reason you state.
Noonan appears to have “grown in office” and increasingly supports the UN/DC elites and stands against American citizens.
In that world, it is never a problem to insult Christians, and always a problem to insult Muslims.
How could you forget the hubbub when the CJCoS called Bill Maher & asked him to pull Religulous? Oh, wait…
And would somebody please lead the breathless, melodramatic Peggy Noonan to her life’s calling as an actress in some RINO daytime soap opera.
On politics, I’d rather listen to Susan Lucci.
Thank you for this post! I was looking at the headlines at memeorandum.com, and they were all abt what a terrible job ROMNEY did on this issue. Really?? An ambassador of ours is murdered, the consulate burned down, AND the Embassy in Cairo is overrun, and all they can do is attack Romney? Unbelievable.
I thought Romney’s comments this morning were far better than Obama’s. Not even close maybe because there wasn’t an apology anywhere in Romney’s comments.
one of the protesters at the anti-American rally knows a thing or two about al Qaeda: Mohammed al Zawahiri, who is the younger brother of al Qaeda’s emir, Ayman al Zawahiri.
He was released from an Egyptian prison this past March.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/zawahiris-brother-cairo-embassy-assault_652217.html
The CIA renditioned Mohammed al Zawahiri from UAE in 1999 and sent him to Egyptian prison, a terrorist thought to have involvement with terrorist actions, such as the 1985 Egypt Air hijacking, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and the 1998 African embassy bombings.
Who’da thunk Barack (America will never be at war with Islam) Obama would support the removal of Mubarack, known terrorists would be released from prison and once again attack Americans.
Steve Benen, Ron Fournier, Greg Sargeant and other journolisters generally would benefit from an embed with the Marine protection force guarding the Cairo embassy.
It’s a chance for them to become real reporters, and an opportunity for the rest of us to reform the thought leaders of the MSM.
Great idea! I second that!
Excellent idea. It ought to be mandatory.
Poor Marines! There’s no reforming these hardcore lefties.
[…] Dead Ambassador dragged through streets, MSM furious at Romney criticism of Obama (legalinsurrection.com) Rate this:Share this:DiggEmail Pin ItPrintShare on TumblrLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. […]
[…] Dead Ambassador dragged through streets, MSM furious at Romney criticism of Obama- If there ever were a doubt, no matter how small, that the mainstream media is deeply in bed with the Obama campaign, the reaction to the killing of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and several other Americans should put such doubt to rest.Beginning early this morning, when news was just breaking, the left-blogosphere and mainstream media, led by MSNBC, has attempted to shift the focus from the Obama administration’s failure to protect our embassies and for its apologies (both before and after the attack on the Cairo Embassy) to whether Mitt Romney was wrong to criticize Obama last night.No, I’m not kidding. […]
[…] Dead Ambassador dragged through streets, MSM furious at Romney criticism of Obama. The media regards Obama with the devotion that Islamists grant to the Koran. Any criticism and […]
[…] Romney tried today but Big Media is out to protect Obama. Romney must understand that he will not beat the Big Media filter he will have to overcome it. Florida voters will hear Mitt Romney if Romney speaks clearly and […]
Every stain on this president is a stain on his guard dog media. This is 9/11/12 in the year of Barack Obama and his subservient media ilk.
The media matters turkeys are working their propaganda
They say the embassy came out with the statement before the attack. It seems a statement came out before the attacks, though there were already disturbances. But then, they tweeted after the attack, that they were confirming their earlier “apology”, while also condemning the attacks. So they are wrong … Romney was correct .. the first American response was apology, even though it was confirming the earlier apology.
According to Megyn Kelly’s timeline, even though Obama’s WH camp came out to say the “apology” had not been “approved”, less than an hour later the WH came out with another tweet, again confirming the apology. Then Romney came out with his condemnation of the apology.
So Romney was exactly correct at the press conference. And he was right, there should be no inkling of confessing to guilt over our free speech. And he was correct that the WH was sending mixed messages. Even distasteful speech is strongly protected, certainly never to be silenced by threats of violence.
But Obama spoke in the weak terms of one off apology, we believe in “religious tolerance”. Perhaps he meant to whisper … “I’ll have more flexibility AFTER the election” to deal with these blasphemers of Islam.
Two embassies attacked…one ambassador killed and his body dragged through the streets…two former allies who we turned our backs on only to get what we have now…which is beginning to look alot worse….
There’s an old saying running round conservative cirlces describbing Obama as Carter Redux (ala the inneffectiveness at the iranian hostage crisis and turning the back on yet another old ally, the Shah).
Question: WTF was the marine security detatchment for the Lybian embassy? And if there was only a few there wtf was their ROE?
Regardless Obama is fast becomming Jimmy Carter day by day…only thing I can say is Welcome Back Carter!
I expect this to get a hell of alot worse.
The report I heard was that the Libyan consulate’s security was handled by Libyan nationals, not Marines, and that the two Marines who were killed were sent over from another location when the trouble began.
I also heard a report that ‘Libyan officials’ moved consulate staff to a nearby building for safety reasons and then told the protesters where to find them.
I’d like to know if the Libyan national security personnel and the ‘Libyan officials’ were coordinating the killings or even one and the same.
Romney’s sleazy move? Was Romney on Letterman last night too?
It’s times like this we need a President.
The US embassy in Libya was previously evacuated of most personnel.
1) Why?
2) What advanced notice were they given and when?
3) Given the advanced warning they clearly considered the intelligence serious enough to evacuate personnel prior to the event, why weren’t a full compliment of Marines stationed at the embassy loaded for bear in light of that intell given their pulling out of embassy staff?
4) What did Obama know and when did he know it?
5) If Obama hadn’t received a briefing in a week, who made that fatal decision to keep Obama out of the loop? President Obama, Jacob Lew (Chief of Staff) or Valerie Jarrett (Senior Advisor)?
6) Since intelligence was clearly known of the attack before hand as evidenced by the evacuation of the US Embassy staff, what was the purpose in allowing it to happen anyway instead of disrupting it?
Questions someone should be asking, never mind the MSM who aren’t interested in ferreting out the facts if they get in the way of the narrative.
MSM cannot understand that there is a political challenge to their messiah and it annoys them.
That press conference by romney was very impressive. The biased reporters were obviously trying to make him the issue, rather than the gross imcompetance of obamas state dept, but romney gave very clear and sensible answers, kept his col and more than held his own. It is especially impressive in contrast to Obama, who has taken no questions on the embassy attacks at all.
I love it when the one reporter used the tired “some people say xxx” ploy to inject her own bias into the question. When you have a real source you quote it, when you say “some people”, it is to disguise a comment that repeats your own bias.
My God. The media in America is 100% fully in the tank for Obama.
I never used to believe my conservative friends that there was a liberal bias. Not only is there a liberal bias, these MSM are openly coordinating against Romney.
This isn’t bias, these MSM are just unpaid staff for Obama’s campaign. Absolutely disgusting. Will never trust another damn word of any of these MSM scumbags again.
Alex, you are wrong (j/k, read on). The MSM are not unpaid staff for Obama’s campaign. They are paid with access to Obama and administration officials, access that translates into ad money via unique hits, copies sold, TV ratings, etc., plus there is a virtual revolving door of former MSMers going to work for the Obama administration.
The one-time concrete wall between media and the Democrat Party turned to glass, then to Saran Wrap, and has now completely disappeared.
[…] Our ambassador’s body was dragged through the street and the media cares more about protecting Obama. […]
When is anyone in the media ever going to ask this POS, I mean POTUS a real F-In Question? I have a BHO headache and the diagnosis is it will linger for a while, but should clear up around November 6th!
[…] And the band plays on. Posted in Media Malpractice, Politics , Barack Obama, Benghazi, Cairo, Chris Stevens, Mitt Romney, Sean Smith | No Comments » […]
Someone over at Right Scoop called these so-called journalist/reporters “presstitutes” – good description.
This blog fits with the other blog about Hollywood. Regardless of what some of the press said, the killers said they attacked because they didn’t like our movies.
[…] Questions Her Favorite Sex Object Posted on September 12, 2012 7:30 pm by Bill Quick » Dead Ambassador dragged through streets, MSM furious at Romney criticism of Obama – Le… AND, looks like has-been Peggy Noonan is trying to form a circular firing squad. I’ve always […]
Peggy…FYI, Ronaldus Magnus(for whom you worked)is reaching down from On High and slappin’ the snot outta ya. Shameless is what you are.
William A. Jacobson: Dead Ambassador dragged through streets
Turns out that Muslim people were trying to save the ambassador.
Allahu Akbar means God is Great!
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3b4_1347839892