As discussed earlier today, Mitt Romney released a statement about the attacks on in Libya that killed four Americans, one of whom was a U.S. Ambassador. Now, the comments made by Romney are being viewed as hasty and off-key, according to BuzzFeed.
Romney refuses to back down from his comments about the attack, which came prior to all the news about it was known. “It’s never too early for the United States government to condemn attacks on Americans and to defend our values.”
Victoria Coates, the former foreign policy adviser for Rick Perry, said, “It’s deeply unfortunate when the circumstance of the statement becomes the story. It’s unfortunate that it’s playing out this way, and hopefully they can get back on message, because their point is sound.”
A former aide for Senator John McCain during his presidential run in 2008 said, “It’s bad. Just on a factual level that the statement was not a response but preceding, or one could make the case precipitating. And just calling it a ‘disgrace’ doesn’t really cut it. Not ready for prime time.”
BuzzFeed also spoke with another unidentified Republican from the Bush State Department. That Republican said, “It wasn’t presidential of Romney to go political immediately — a tragedy of this magnitude should be something the nation collectively grieves before politics enters the conversation.” That Republican then defended the comments by Romney.
“Romney’s attack is spot-on — disgusting that the first Obama administration impulse was to apologize instead of condemning violent religious intolerance. Obama’s gotten a real pass on his intervention in Libya, his failed strategy in Afghanistan, and his lack of leadership in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. By trying to cut it down the middle in his foreign policy, no one knows where or for what Obama or America stands in the world these days.”
David Rothkopf is a former Clinton State Department official who said, “He did jump the gun. It revealed yet again that his foreign policy team is not ready for prime time. It is ugly and amateurish. It also seems strangely out of character with Romney who elsewhere in the campaign seems inclined to be restrained to a fault.”
Steve Clemons, American Strategy Program at New America Foundation founder, said, “Romney blew it and revealed how seriously maladroit he is when it comes to foreign affairs and national security. An attack on an Embassy, the murder of U.S. officials including an Ambassador, is an attack on all Americans and the idea of America — and Romney gave terrorists what they want — a divided country still torn emotionally and politically by the events of 9-11. Romney talks of leadership but with his reckless commentary when events were fragile and still unfolding, he belly-flopped.”