And Romney flips again. 10 days ago:
More than any other Republican presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney is running as the candidate friendliest to President Bush,
surrounding himself with former Bush advisers, delivering his most
closely watched speech at the presidential library of the president’s
father, and this week launching a staunch defense of Bush’s Iraq policy.In
part, the strategy helps him distinguish himself from rival Mike
Huckabee, who this week criticized Bush’s foreign policy as “arrogant”
and indicative of a “bunker mentality.” Yesterday, Romney’s campaign
sent reporters a copy of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s comments
blasting Huckabee’s criticism as “just simply ludicrous.”Romney is not casting himself as Bush’s heir nor fully embracing his legacy, but rather selectively
aligning himself with the president on issues that appeal to loyal
Republican voters, who continue to hold Bush in high regard and who
will largely decide the party’s nominee.
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney said on Tuesday the Bush administration mismanaged the Iraq war, distancing himself from his party’s unpopular president two days before Iowa’s first-in-the-nation presidential contest.
“I think we did a less than effective job in managing the conflict following the collapse of Saddam Hussein,” the former Massachusetts governor said at a news conference. “I think we were under prepared for what occurred, understaffed, under planned, and, in some respects, under managed.”
Romney’s comments echo those of his rival John McCain, who for years has criticized the way former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld handled the war. Polls show McCain and Romney locked in a tight battle for first place in New Hampshire, which holds the nation’s second primary contest on January 8.
In Iowa, which holds its nominating contest on Thursday, Romney is neck-and-neck with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.”
The man will say or do anything to get elected it seems.
See author page
Actually, Romney has said all along that there were somethings mismanaged on the Iraq War. He has supported the surge and given Bush credit for that. He has always worded it much the way Giuliani does. More along the lines that mistakes were made, as in all wars. I don’t see this particular issue as a flip flop.
I have seen some commentary that the Bush family was instrumental in convincing Mitt to run and a lot of Jeb Bush’s old campaign workers were early on his staff.
BUT to ask GW to come out with a pick like the press has done and you will get no where on that.
At least he doesn’t flip-flop about being a flip-flopper. “Ooh, anthing you want, you got it” should be his campaign song.
He does jump around a bit, it seems…
Romney has been very consistent in his statements–the media?
Not so much.
Huckabee trashed the Bush administration as arrogant, which I think was beyond the pale. I don’t know why he gets a pass on something like this. Romney simply acknowledged the obvious, while supporting the war on terror in general terms–mistakes were made. Anyone who doesn’t see this is blind.
Re: “Presidential candidate Mitt Romney said on Tuesday the Bush administration mismanaged the Iraq war, distancing himself from his party’s unpopular president two days before Iowa’s first-in-the-nation presidential contest.”
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld declared, in 2003, that “if we are in Iraq for six months, that will be too long”.
Now, more than four years later, Conservatives consider it a “success” that the violence in Iraq is “only” at the levels of 2005, and we can look forward to occupying a civil war zone for another decade.
Certainly sounds as though the occupation of Iraq has been mis-managed to me.
Not “mistakes were made” (as though they fell from the sky). Or “in war stuff happens” (as though no one is accountable, ever).
But outright bungling: from the troop units that rode out the invasion of Iraq on ships off of Turkey because the Bush Administration failed to get Turkish permission to cross their territory; to the weapons depots in Iraq that were left unguarded for months, permitting unemployed former soldiers and police to equip their own militias.
This certainly sounds like mis-management to me.
And who, may I ask, is ultimately accountable for the incompetence that went on during his invasion? We all know the answer, but not one single Conservative is permitted to use HIS name and ‘accountable” in the same sentence. They must all make up excuses. Or diffuse the responsibility. Or bring up Congressional votes (as though the Congressional resolutions included a phrase saying, “by the way, be sure to botch the occupation after your invade”).
And, when Mr. Romney actually does link accountability with “The Decider”, he is excoriated by Conservatives, who must protect “The Decider” from responsibility at all costs.
Now I await the venom that will be sent my way, for pointing out these facts. Of course no Conservative will ever be permitted to acknowledge who is ultimately accountable for the incompetent occupation of Iraq. They are only permitted to obey The Decider, and protect him as he runs out the clock to January 2009, forever to be idolized as a president equal to Abraham Lincoln, by all Conservatives, forever.
Re: “Huckabee trashed the Bush administration as arrogant, which I think was beyond the pale.”
Why?
Considering that the philosophy of its president is as listed below, “arrogant” appears to describe it just right.
“If this were a dictatorship, it’d be a heck of a lot easier…just as long as I’m the dictator…”
George W. Bush–Washington, DC, Dec 18, 2000, during Bush’s first trip to Washington as President-Elect
Steve,
You might want to look at the quote Bill Clinton made in reguards to the Assault Weapons Ban (an law he signed, not a quote you have taken out of context) about Americans having too much freedoms.
Projection is a disease Steve, seek treatment. It seems you also have a host of others, but let us just stick with projection.