Obama's Polish Gaffes

Following up on last week's post Olympic Gaffe Games: Comparing Romney and Obama 
which listed Obama's foreign policy gaffes with Great Britain, there's a damning article out today on his gaffes and outright disrespect of Poland, a country that threw off communism and is very pro-America.

The Washington Free Beacon has the story, here are the most striking quotes:

Last week’s surprise announcement of U.S. Ambassador to Poland Lee Feinstein’s retirement highlighted a string of policy missteps by the Obama administration that have left many in the Polish government and population questioning Obama’s commitment to the two nations’ alliance. ...

“To put it plainly, on Obama’s list of priorities, Poland is obviously lower than whale shit,” said one Polish defense industry official. “We are further down that list than that stuff laying at the bottom of the ocean.” ...

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said in a nationally televised address that “yesterday’s words by President Obama offended all Poles—we always react in the same way when ignorance, lack of knowledge, bad intentions lead to such a distortion of history, so painful for us here in Poland, in a country which suffered like no other in Europe during World War II.”

Other Poles were less restrained. Foreign Minister Sikorski tweeted, “It’s a shame that such a momentous ceremony has been overshadowed by ignorance and incompetence.” ...

“When Obama first came into office, the opinion polls about Polish impressions of the U.S. were 70-plus percent favorable,” said the Polish defense industry official. “But with all that has happened this figure is now somewhere in the mid-30s range.” ...

Dropping from 70% to 30% favorability is astounding!  Remember this the next time someone tries to claim Obama has raised America's standing in the world.  Actually, tell Obama himself - last week he said:

"Because we're leading around the world, people have a new attitude toward America. There’s more confidence in our leadership. We see it everywhere we go," President Obama said at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Reno.

The Poles certainly have a new attitude toward America, and it is not good.  Meanwhile, Mitt Romney visited Poland to pledge “U.S. support of Poland as a captive nation during the Cold War.”  The choice in November couldn't be more clear.

Freedom fighter and former Polish President Lech Walesa has endorsed Romney:

"I wish you to be successful because this success is needed to the United States, of course, but to Europe and the rest of the world, too. Gov Romney, get your success -- be successful!"

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Olympic Gaffe Games: Comparing Romney and Obama

The hubbub surrounding Mitt Romney's Olympic comments in response to Brian Williams' question asking if Britain seemed ready "to your experienced eye?" is utterly ridiculous.

Romney responded to Williams innocuously, "You know, it's hard to know just how well it will turn out. There are a few things that were disconcerting, the stories about the-- private security firm not having enough people-- supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging..."

The British press and American leftists jumped on this comment as a "gaffe," which is absurd for a multitude of reasons.

Mitt Romney is an Olympics expert.  He went in to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and saved it from bankruptcy and security disaster.  God forbid the man who saved the post-9/11 Olympics security nightmare comment on today's Olympic security nightmare!  One London resident laughably responded to Romney's comment, "What would he know?"  I'm left to wonder if Britons even know that Romney ran an Olympic Games - perhaps they just think he's just another loudmouth American politician with no knowledge of the situation. 

London's Olympic problems have been all over the news and such a source of criticism within the country itself that they've coined the phrase "omnishambles, a word first applied to government screw-ups that has been used to describe the crisis-prone buildup to the games."  In this context the hashtag some used yesterday #RomneyShambles to mock Romney doesn't seem like such a bad thing - Romney simply commented on the shambles of the "crisis-prone buildup to the games."  British Labour lawmaker David Winnick used the word when he demanded of the CEO of the security group that failed to provide enough security workers, "It’s a humiliating shambles for the country, isn’t it?"

Heck, Piers Morgan even defended Romney, saying, "It’s no secret over here that for the last three weeks the security around the Olympics has been a shambles."  Piers continued:

“The outside firm they got in to run it has been all over the place – they didn’t have enough people and the army had to be drafted in. So, Mitt Romney was only saying exactly what has been happening.”
“He’s run an Olympics, so I thought he was perfectly entitled to be critical,” Morgan continued. He said that the English press jumped on him because they wanted Romney to “talk us up a bit,” but the substance of Romney’s critique was on point.
“I thought it was a bit of a fuss about nothing,” said Morgan. “He was just speaking the truth which can sometimes be rather unpalatable.”

Now, if Great Britain was honest, they'd agree that Romney just said what everyone in their country has been saying.  As Joshua Trevino said yesterday on Twitter, "Romney has accomplished what was unthinkable 24 hours ago: Londoners will now proudly defend their Olympics."

The only reason they are upset is because of the whole idea of "You can't complain about my country, only I can complain about my country!"  Winnick, who noted complaining was a British national sport, even said, "There is a feeling, and I’m sure it applies in the United States, that … families can quarrel bitterly in private, but should anyone from the outside have a go, the family is united. In other words: 'Mind your own business.'"

This is understandable, but hardly enough reason to consider this a ghastly gaffe that will lead to a rift between the two country or resonate with the American public.  Especially now that it's becoming a tit-for-tat with David Cameron making a dig at America, specifically Utah, with the remark, "Of course, it’s easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere."  This is simply a silly issue that will die out quickly.

Of course, no conversation is complete without talking about Obama's numerous Great Britain gaffes. As I wrote in 2009, the UK Telegraph had a devastating article on how the Obama Administration is neglecting foreign policy, especially our special relationship with Britain.  Some highlights from the article entitled Barack Obama 'too tired' to give proper welcome to Gordon Brown:

Obama aides seemed unfamiliar with the expectations that surround a major visit by a British prime minister. ...

A British official conceded that the furore surrounding the apparent snub to Mr Brown had come as a shock to the White House... "A number of our US interlocutors said they couldn't quite understand the British concerns and didn't get what that was all about." ...

Mr Brown handed over carefully selected gifts, including a pen holder made from the wood of a warship that helped stamp out the slave trade - a sister ship of the vessel from which timbers were taken to build Mr Obama's Oval Office desk. Mr Obama's gift in return, a collection of Hollywood film DVDs that could have been bought from any high street store, looked like the kind of thing the White House might hand out to the visiting head of a minor African state. ...

The official dismissed any notion of the special relationship, saying: "There's nothing special about Britain. You're just the same as the other 190 countries in the world. You shouldn't expect special treatment." ...

The next day I had a follow up post on Obama's embarrassing foreign policy gaffes with links to the  following articles:

Obama's blockbuster gift for Brown: 25 classic films

No10 had tried to keep the present a secret, refusing to answer reporters who asked what President Obama had given to mark the reaffirmation of the special relationship. However, the Evening Standard discovered the truth through White House insiders.

One reason for the secrecy might be that the gift seems markedly less generous and thoughtful than the presents taken to Washington by the Prime Minister.

Brit reporters in bit of a snit over lack of Obama-Brown news conference

They see it as a snub.

"Embarrassing," says Benedict Brogan of The Mail. Embarrassing, that is, for Brown.
"Mr. Brown might lament," writes Toby Harnden of The Telegraph, "that despite the so-called 'special relationship' Britain is now getting the same treatment as the president of Uruguay but he need not despair. I'm told there's a chance he might get drinks with Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday evening."

And who could forget the time Obama gave the Queen of England an iPod filled with his own speeches?  
Or when Obama infamously returned Britain's gift of a Churchill bust?  Romney got in a good dig at Obama a few days ago when he said, "I'm looking forward to the bust of Winston Churchill being in the Oval Office again."  

Olympic expert Mitt Romney repeating what everyone has been saying about the London Games, which unfortunately may have wounded British pride but had the benefit of uniting the country behind the Games, is nothing compared to Obama's "embarrassing" snubs of British leaders and dismissal of the "special relationship" the United States has with Britain.

This point is, this kerfuffle shouldn't hurt Romney in the US (of course, with a liberal media desperate to take the heat off of Obama, who knows how they'll try to drag this story along).  This will all blow over soon, with the excitement of tonight's Opening Ceremonies and other news stories quickly overshadowing it.  The Obama campaign can't keep bringing it up because, if anything, the incident reminds people of Romney's leadership during the 2002 Olympic Games where he dealt with national security issues and efficiently cut spending to dig the Games out of a fiscal hole (a quality that is desperately needed right now with $16 trillion national debt.)

The quotes that will endure are Obama's real gaffes (if speaking your mind can really be considered a gaffe) on the economy saying, "The private sector is doing fine," "If you've got a business you didn't build that," and "We tried our plan and it worked," and the full context of these quotes are just as bad.  They reveal a president who is distressingly out of touch with economic realities, not to mention the American creed which includes rugged individualism and personal accomplishment. 

Does he really think with 8.2% unemployment ANYONE is doing fine?  Does he really think the idea that "If you've used a public road, you've benefited from government assistance and therefore you owe the government all your success," is a winning message?  Does is really think his plan which has brought 41 straight months of 8.1-10% unemployment, adding $5 trillion to our $16 trillion in debt, and 1.5% GDP growth this quarter worked?

In the Olympic-sized Gaffe Games, Obama takes home the gold.

Mitt Romney the Bad Ass

National Review writer Jim Geraghty has a piece out today that focuses on 6 stories from Mitt Romney's past that he says he would highlight if he were running the campaign.  These tidbits about his history may surprise you or at least remind you of the truth of the man beyond Obama's attack ads.  The truth is, Mitt Romney is actually exciting and kind of a bad ass!

Read on to learn more, it will pump you up to fight for this man in November.
(Geraghty's headings are in bold, the words below them are mine)

Taking on epic mismanagement and incompetence in Massachusetts state government as governor

Geraghty highlights when Romney physically confronted the head of the Mass Turnpike Authority in the wake of the death of a motorist from a falling piece of concrete in a Big Dig tunnel.  Now, the Big Dig was a huge, decades long construction project to completely overhaul the highway system in Boston.  It was a boondoggle bloated with waste, incompetence, corrupt government contracts, delays, and safety issues.  I'm from Boston and I can tell you what a headache the Big Dig was and how cynically it was viewed at the time.  No one was particularly shocked that bad craftsmanship had led to a fatal disaster, many felt it was only a matter of time, but it was nice to see someone finally take on the corrupt MTA and hold them accountable.  As an article on the incident said, “Immediately, Romney became a commanding and reassuring presence.”  Finally, an adult took over to manage the out of control project! 

A focus on spending priorities that saved the Salt Lake City Olympics

Romney came in to manage an Olympic games that was almost $400 million in the hole.  He cut wasteful projects like a youth camp, wetlands restoration, and decorations.  He even charged the Olympic Committee for food and drinks to raise money.  The Olympic COO at the time recalled: “Every line item in the budget was classified as ‘must’ or ‘nice to have,’ ” Mr. Bullock said, and “nice to have” was chopped.

Giving away his inheritance

Geraghty quotes Romney saying, "I did get a check from my dad when he passed away. I shouldn’t say a check, but I did inherit some funds from my dad. But I turned and gave that away to charity. In this case I gave it to a school which Brigham Young University established in his honor."  Romney is a self-made man, it wasn't his father's money that made him successful.

Romney and his sons, heroic lifesavers

This one's a great story about Romney and his sons saving a family on a lake whose boat was quickly sinking.  Mitt Romney saves lives!!!  That's the story that he should be associated with, not the stupid dog one.

I'll get to this story a little later, but the quote from a man whose daughter Romney helped find when she went missing is particularly apropos and one to keep in mind when thinking about Romney, his character and how he'd be as a president:

So, here’s my epiphany: Mitt Romney simply can’t help himself. He sees a problem, and his mind immediately sets to work solving it, sometimes consciously, and sometimes not-so-consciously. He doesn’t do it for self-aggrandizement or for personal gain. He does it because that’s just how he’s wired.

Now contrast that with Obama ... nuff said.

A focus on helping others, reflected in lifelong generosity to charitable foundations   

Mitt Romney has given back at least $18 million to charity.  Obama always talks about the rich giving back and paying their fair share but he means that in the forms of taxes paying for more wasteful government programs.  Romney doesn't need the government to mandate he give back even more, he already does, by his own volition, with the power to choose what his money goes towards.  And private charities are better at doing things than the government.  They tend to be more localized, focused and can be held more accountable than a massive, faceless government bureaucracy.  Plus, if the charity is not doing what it is supposed to, people can choose not to give them their money.  I sure wish we could do that with the government!


Young Mitt Romney, barefoot street-brawling vigilante

This is a funny story about Romney running out barefoot in the snow to defend some female Mormon missionaries from a group of thugs while in France.  Bad ass!

One additional story that Geraghty does not include but needs to be told is the one I mentioned earlier about Romney helping to save a Bain partner's missing teenage daughter.  PolitiFact relates the story:

"In July 1996, the 14-year-old daughter of Robert Gay, a partner at Bain Capital, had disappeared," the story reads. "She had attended a rave party in New York City and gotten high on ecstasy. Three days later, her distraught father had no idea where she was. Romney took immediate action. He closed down the entire firm and asked all 30 partners and employees to fly to New York to help find Gay’s daughter. Romney set up a command center at the LaGuardia Marriott and hired a private detective firm to assist with the search. He established a toll-free number for tips, coordinating the effort with the NYPD, and went through his Rolodex and called everyone Bain did business with in New York and asked them to help find his friend’s missing daughter. Romney’s accountants at Price Waterhouse Cooper put up posters on street poles, while cashiers at a pharmacy owned by Bain put fliers in the bag of every shopper. Romney and the other Bain employees scoured every part of New York and talked with everyone they could – prostitutes, drug addicts – anyone."

The quote from Mr. Gay about Romney that I cited earlier deserves to be repeated: "He sees a problem, and his mind immediately sets to work solving it...He does it because that’s just how he’s wired."

I say these stories reveal Romney the Bad Ass.  He is often portrayed as a milquetoast, unapproachable, greedy businessman but these aspects of his history show him to be an exciting, smart, accomplished man with a heart for using his wealth and power to help others.

Mitt Romney is a businessman, a doer.  Barack Obama is a professor, a thinker.  Romney deals in the real world, he sees a problem and he fixes it.  Obama lives in Fantasyland, he sees a problem and he finds someone else to blame for it - or proposes a solution that makes things 10x worse yet still declares it a success.  

"He sees a problem, and his mind immediately sets to work solving it."  At a time of high unemployment, record deficits and debt, and an economy on the brink, this is the kind of mind our nation needs.  We need Mitt Romney as president.

Top 10 Hottest Conservative Congressmen

MOST IMPORTANT UPDATE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS WEBSITE: PAUL RYAN SHIRTLESS PIC FOUND:

BUMPED UP 8/11/12: OUR VP PICK!!!  Hottest Vice Presidential candidate ever?  Don't you wish we had a pick of Paul Ryan shirtless like with Flake?

Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-1)
Age 42
This budget-cutting cutie is the Chairman of the House Budget Committee.  His command of economic issues and innovative budget plan “The Path to Prosperity” is attractive to younger people like me because he actually wants to DO something to save our future!  This, combined with his boyish good looks, helped inspired the internet meme Hey Girl, It's Paul Ryan.  Never before has conservative economics been so sexy!

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I had so much fun doing the Top 20 HOTTEST Men in Conservative New Media list in 2010 that I wanted to do it again this year.  Alas, I was beaten to the punch.  Those lists always court controversy and bruise egos so I thought I'd give the hottest conservative men meme a twist and feature the top 10 hottest conservative CONGRESSmen!  Now nobody I know personally will be ticked off at being left off the list!  (And it goes without saying, but I love my husband Mr. Shrugged and he's 1000x hotter than any of these guys!)

Here, in no particular order by request, are the top 10 hottest conservative Congressmen:

Sen. Scott Brown (MA)
Age 52
This silver fox originally set hearts racing with his nude spread in Cosmopolitian magazine in the 80's - picture below for your enjoyment but cropped to make it more safe for work.  He captured my heart when he turned the Kennedy Seat into the People's Seat in the MA Senate special election in 2010.  As a refugee from the People's Republic of Massachusetts, I never thought we'd see another Republican Senator so his win was AMAZING!  Now he's up for Senate again in November against the lying fake Native American and elitist 1% ivy league professor Elizabeth Warren - this man needs to win, help him out!

Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (CA-52)
Age 35
This son of a congressman quit his job to become a Marine after 9/11.  Wonder if any of the anti-war protestors thought they were being clever and went to his father Rep. Duncan L. Hunter at the time saying, "If you support the war, why don't you send your own children to fight it?" only to have him say his son IS fighting.  No chicken hawks in the Hunter family (his father also served in Vietnam)!  He was sent to Afghanistan once and Iraq twice - including the battle of Fallujah.  He took his father's seat when he retired and has been advocating for conservative values ever since.

Rep. Ben Quayle (AZ-3)
Age 35
This cutie may be known as the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle, but he's quickly making a conservative name for himself in the House as a freshman Congressman.  National Journal has already ranked him tied for first as the most conservative in the House.  Unfortunately, due to redistricting, he has to go head to head with fellow freshman Republican Congressman David Schweiker in a primary for Arizona's 6th District.  Something tells me no matter what happens this won't be last of what we see from Ben Quayle.

 

Sen. Marco Rubio (FL)
Age 41
Muy caliente!  This Tea Party favorite was a long shot to win against RINO turned traitor Charlie Crist, but turned it around with his charisma and ability to make conservatism accessible to the masses.  His parents escaped Cuba which influenced his personal political beliefs and dedication to life and liberty.  He's obviously a rising star in the GOP, no wonder there are whispers of him for VP this year, and president in the future.

Rep. Jeff Flake (AZ-6)
Age 49
This anti-pork crusader first caught my eye when I worked for a government waste watchdog group.  His principled stance on earmarks, sometimes even bucking his own party, has earned him respect from across the political spectrum.  He's the former Executive Director of the Goldwater Institute - gotta love when someone with a think tank background and deep knowledge of conservative issues can fight for us in Congress.  Now he's running for Senate where he can gain more influence and join up with fellow waste warriors Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn.  Oh, and look at those pecs!

 

 

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-11)
Age 34
This Tom Cruise in Top Gun lookalike achieved the rank of Major in United States Air Force and is still a pilot in the Air National Guard.  Although he's only 34 and a freshman, he's earned the role of Deputy Republican Whip in the House.  But waaaaay more impressive is the fact that he saved a woman's life in 2006 - the woman had her throat cut and Adam disarmed and subdued her attacker!  He told Human Events, "When you think someone could be killed and you did nothing about it, you realize your life is not the most important thing."  AMAZING!  Who wouldn't want to be saved by this hunk?

Rep. Aaron Schock (IL-18)
Age 31
This "abtastic" Congressman is the youngest Member of Congress and the first member of my generation - children of the 80’s!  Aaron's youth and toned physique have made him a DC celebrity, landing on magazine covers, TMZ, and tv shows.  The man has style, but based on the abundance of photos on the internet, he is more comfortable without a shirt than in a suit.  I apologize that I only have photos of Aaron shirtless ... ok, no, I'm not sorry!

Rep. Michael Grimm (NY-17)
Age: 42
This Marine served our country in the first Gulf War.  Upon returning - how cool is this - he became an undercover FBI agent investigating the mafia and white collar crime on Wall Street.  He even had a mafia nickname - "Mikey Suits!"  As you can see below, he is a sharp dressed man, which every girl's crazy about.  And could anything be more swoon-worthy than a photo of him holding a puppy with a Ronald Reagan portrait in the background?

Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-7)
Age 40
This professional lumberjack athlete - yes, professional lumberjack athlete! - began his career in the public eye on the tv show "Real World" Boston.  After lawyering for a while, Sean announced he'd run against heavy favorite and powerful Democrat House Appropriations Chairman David Obey.  But Obey saw the writing on the wall after key GOP victories like Scott Brown's and retired.  Sean eventually went on to win election to Congress with 52% of the vote.  I've met him in person and, along with having a beautiful wife and the cutest children, he is devastatingly handsome.

So that's my list of the top 10 hottest conservative Congressmen - what did you think?  How do you rank them and is there anyone I missed?  Enjoy!
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Happy Independence Day!

 

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. ...

Chief Justice Roberts Sends Dangerous Message: He Can Be Manipulated

CBS has confirmed what many speculated - Chief Justice John Roberts switched his vote from a 5-4 majority with the conservative justices plus Kennedy to overrule Obamacare, to a 5-4 majority with the liberal justices to uphold it as a tax.

Although I knew Roberts is too much of a pragmatist, more concerned about the perception of the Court as an authority and his legacy, this section of CBS' report is still particularly disturbing (emphasis added):

Some of the conservatives, such as Justice Clarence Thomas, deliberately avoid news articles on the court when issues are pending (and avoid some publications altogether, such as The New York Times). They've explained that they don't want to be influenced by outside opinion or feel pressure from outlets that are perceived as liberal.
But Roberts pays attention to media coverage. As chief justice, he is keenly aware of his leadership role on the court, and he also is sensitive to how the court is perceived by the public.
There were countless news articles in May warning of damage to the court - and to Roberts' reputation - if the court were to strike down the mandate. Leading politicians, including the president himself, had expressed confidence the mandate would be upheld.

The courts are supposed to be independent and above politics.  The notion that the President, the head of a competing branch of government, could browbeat the court into a decision is especially galling.  Not to mention the blackmail from the mainstream media and liberal elites, threatening the legitimacy of the court based solely on the outcome of the decision.  The fact that a chief justice could be influenced by these external forces is shameful and unbecoming of the prestigious position he holds. 

I can't help but think such a chief justice is unfit for the role.  His duty is to the Constitution, not to his own legacy, not to Congress or the President, and not to the perceptions of the Supreme Court.

The perceived authority of the Supreme Court has ebbed and flowed over the last 200 plus years.  It is extremely short-sighted for Roberts to think he has to safe-guard today's perception.  The Supreme Court is much bigger than him, it is not going away, no matter how much the liberals pout and cry.  It is disgusting to think that their threats of a temper tantrum would make him change his mind.  This is similar to when liberals wanted to abolish the Electoral College after Bush v. Gore.  They ridiculously want to change the rules when they don't win the game.  But our institutions, while not perfect, were expertly designed and are meant to endure temporary partisan heartache.

Justice is supposed to be blind, but Roberts is wide-eyed to the external pressures he is supposed to ignore.  This is precisely why justices are given lifetime appointments - so that the politics of the day do not influence them.  They are to have no constituencies of their own, no fickle voters to appease, their only duty is to their oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States." 

One must stand with the Constitution, not cave into the threats to destroy it.  Unfortunately, Roberts does not have that kind of courage.  Yes, Chief Justice Roberts is a wimp.  The chief justice of the Supreme Court should not be susceptible to blackmail and professional threats. This sets an extremely dangerous precedent.  How can the Constitution be upheld when the leader in charge of safe-guarding it can be manipulated?  What other outrageous laws could President Obama enact in - God forbid - a second term that Roberts will feel pressured to uphold?

Ironically, in twisting and contorting himself to supposedly protect the court's and his own legitimacy, he has further damaged the institution.   Unlike Roberts, I can see the big picture.  I know the court will endure.  The question is, will the character of our once great republic under Obamacare?