Charles Krauthammer
The Washington Post
7/26/2012
A generation ago, it was the three I’s. A presidential challenger’s obligatory foreign trip meant Ireland, Italy and Israel. Mitt Romney’s itinerary is slightly different: Britain, Poland and Israel.
Not quite the naked ethnic appeal of yore. Each destination suggests a somewhat more subtle affinity: Britain, playing to our cultural connectedness with the Downton Abbey folks who’ve been at our side in practically every fight for the last hundred years; Poland, representing the “new Europe,” the Central Europeans so unashamedly pro-American; Israel, appealing to most American Jews but also to an infinitely greater number of passionately sympathetic evangelical Christians.
Unlike Barack Obama, Romney abroad will not be admonishing his country, criticizing his president or declaring himself a citizen of the world. Indeed, Romney should say nothing of substance, just offer effusive expressions of affection for his hosts — and avoid needless contretemps, like his inexplicably dumb and gratuitous critique of Britain’s handling of the Olympic Games. The whole point is to show appreciation for close allies, something the current president has conspicuously failed to do.
On the contrary. Obama started his presidency by returning to the British Embassy the bust of Winston Churchill that had graced the Oval Office. Then came the State Department official who denied the very existence of a U.S.-British special relationship, saying: “There’s nothing special about Britain. You’re just the same as the other 190 countries in the world.”…
The article continues at The Washington Post.
Related: White House Denies Obama Returned Churchill Bust to UK Ambassador
Also, we’ve been reading this non-story about Romney in Britain with a combination of bemusement and frustration. Evidently the dinosaur media hasn’t bothered to look at a single British news site during the month of July. Here is a sampling of what we mean:
‘Olympic breach’ terror suspect challenges restrictions on movement
Olympics security fiasco continues as G4S boss admit he doesn’t know if guards can speak English
G4S boss discovered Olympic security guard shortfall only a few days ago
Olympics: will Theresa May pay for choosing politics over pragmatism?
So, are we to believe the man who produced the Olympic games in the aftermath of 11 September 2001 doesn’t understand there might be daunting threats of terrorism to a massive event such as this?
Are we all this dim?
By the way, Tom Brokaw, no one’s idea of a right-winger, in the opening interview with NBC’s host Bob Costas reminded viewers that within hours of the IOC announcing the 2012 Summer Games would be in London the 7/7 terror attacks were unleashed upon the city.
Update: Panetta to Visit Egypt and Israel Next Week
Update 2: WH attacks Krauthammer with deceptive history of Churchill bust snub
Update 3: White House Now Claims It Never Gave Churchill Bust Back To The British – Update: British Confirm The Bust Lent To Bush Was Returned – Update II:White House: Oops, Maybe We Did Return It… Even though it was confirmed at the time?