Mitt Romney found himself in hot water again on Monday, as he made comments while in Israel that infuriated Palestinian leaders.
During a fundraiser, Romney suggested that the reason Israel's economy is more prosperous than that of the Palestinian Territories is because Israel has a better "culture," ignoring the occupation of the West Bank and embargo on Gaza.
"Culture makes all the difference," he said at the fundraiser. "And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things.”
“Oh my god, this man needs a lot of education,” said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat in response to Romney's comments. “What he said about the culture is racism.”
Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz joined The Ed Show guest host Michael Eric Dyson to discuss Romney's remarks.
"Mitt Romney went over to Britain and Israel and was, essentially, like a bull in the China shop," she said. "To risk potentially setting back the process in which we hopefully will be able to get both sides ... back to the table for direct bilateral negotiations, that really is damaging and potentially harmful to that goal."
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The GOP needs to shut him up and bring him home before he does more damage. Romney is such an embarrassment to this country.
He isn't much more of an embarrassment than Obama. Obama said some pretty stupid stuff while he was abroad. This nor the Olympic gaffe is that bad.
Shut up the f**k up?
Poor tap there he goes again with the fake Reagan outrage of the liberal media that no longer exists since Reagan deregulated news and corporations bought the news business, just goes to show tap is still stuck in 1979.
You Republicons want a tit for tat, but really cant specifically point to anything, but say, "Well, Obama offended......" Whatever. Honestly, its a bigger deal for Etch-A-Sketch because he is trying to be *hemmm* POTUS.
You have a looser candidate. I would have loved to see his face at the opening ceremonies when the Brits displayed their socialist NHS for quite sometime. Probably put a sour puss on that stoic expressionless face of his. LOL!
I seriously wonder how clueless an educated, rational person can be? Does his staff even provide to him a reasonable level of common sense research? Why did he run, if he has so little interest in the environment around him? I don't begrudge Romney his lack of genius, I do find it stunning that a man, so clueless, would think that it was a good idea to run for the position of president of the United States. Can't we have Jon Huntsman back, or has the GOP become so irrationally far right, that knowledge and substance are not necessary?
Nope. This is the staff people who created the etcha-sketch thing, the same plan as GW but on steroids..........the Romney campaign always finds a way to highlight its biggest insecurities
They ran him, because he is brain dead, and so egotistical, he will not believe that he is not the important person here.
He is the republican parties gift of stupidity that they will use as their figure head, while they screw the country with their outrageous, paranoid, insanity.
Believe me, they already knew what they wanted, and he fills their bill. He can't give them any trouble when they take over. He is their whimp!
What the hell does Romney know about culture? He has none.
What Mitt calls "culture", the Palestinians call "occupation".
How do you say "sedition?"
How do you say "another fake republican war in the making?" willard inspired with the help of the gop!
They launch rockets in order to liberate their homeland from the terrorist, bloody, military, colonialist occupation of the jew!
Question: Since when is fighting to liberate your homeland a bad thing?
Answer: Only when you DARE fight the jew!
The scary part is, a lot of people buy in to this hooey.
Boocoo, A lot of people buy into the idea that socialism is bad, too. They'd rather go bankrupt from an illness than have free health care like England and other countries.
Why? That would be the dreaded socialism!
I call it common sense. Every civilized country but this one has it, too.
If I had free health care, I wouldn't care if they called it socialism, communism, or bat crap. I'd say, Thanks!
Israel has totally socialized medicine and they love it. Not only is it socialized, but deductions are taken from your paycheck and the richer you are, the more you pay. And nobody complains. They have some of the best healthcare in the world and their general population is much healthier than ours.
@gotoleft,
You are doing it wrong. ObamaCare limits your expenses to no more than $12,000/yr.
You need to check with your city, state, and county to determine how to file the paperwork because the Affordable Care Act limits your out-of-pocket expenses as of 2010 (click here).
"ObamaCare" limits annual out-of-pocket spending to $5,950 for individuals and $11,900 for families, excluding premiums. It costs you nothing if you are unemployed, poor, or insured.
If people already say it is responsible to have insurance why is expecting everyone else to be responsible, or have to pay it? Where's the harm?
In your quest to be 1000% against anything related to Obama you have advocated for freeloading. People do not have the right to expect or ask others to cover all their expenses if they can do themselves so unless you've got a better idea to stop people without insurance for whatever reason getting 100% of their care costs on the public then go ahead and pour yourself a nice tall glass of shut up juice
gotoleft
It irks me sometimes when those that say that their freedoms are being taken from them they have no idea what it really means to be oppressed when many nations don't have what we do.
There are ways to do things for the many that don't infringe on "your freedoms".
Absolutism does and that is why we no longer are part of England. However, England does have a healthcare system that takes care of the many without having to mortgage your home to pay for it.
You forget that the freedoms that the tea bagged republicans whine about are the freedoms they gave away for the illusion of security from middle east brown people.
Romney lies.....that is what is really important. Facts can not be fliped then floped to suit your needs. He is inconsistant and a liar.
This really means nothing about Romney's beliefs this is another of his pander express series of comments. I don't think he cares about any mid east, or any other culture or that matter. He's just trying to say what will make him more money in fundraising.
When little Willy gets done with his, "I'm a nobody tour", President Obama will have to go around the world and apologize for this idiot. That is, if we aren't involved in WWIII. And the Dixie Chicks got death threats?.
At least Obama know where and when to Apologise.
Willard has the gift for insults, with "No Apologise."
Gee how is obama doing with the economy and job growth?
Ah who cares, let's see how we can beat up a dude who is not in the white house.
Screw the economy, to hell with the unemployment rate of over 8% and the over 40 million on food stamps.
It's way more important to run Romney into the ground than get the country up and running.
Oh wait maybe that is due to the reason obama cant't get the job done.
More desperate baloney from he idiot republican borg drones love this idea that the guy running for president can't be talked about or criticized unless he becomes president.
Not one single positive ad from the Romney camp because he has no record.
Raiding, pensions, general corporate sleeze to make legal money for investors by screwing workers
Romneycare he won't try to defend even though he does believe in it
raising fees and taxes as governor of which he was not fully involved for his entire term since he spent the second half of his term preparing to run for another office
47th in job creation
salt lake olympics, one of if not the most costly olympics in the history of America to the tune of over one billion dollars
five years of running for president still outlined no specific plan of what he will do differently one the economy or foreign policy
countless flip flops on romneycare, gun control, gay rights, abortion, immigration reform, auto rescue, sending troops back into the middle east, personhood bills. I challenge anyone to show me one instance where Romney has been consistent
Obama's failure on the economy is due to his willingness to pander to and give in to the republican ideas. Well guess what no unprecidented regulations, no higher tax rates, no unprecidented increases in goverment jobs or salary, cuts to financial aide has happend. You should be happy that is your way, that is your plan. You ideology got us here and you still fail to recognize that and realize that we've still been trying it your way. Obama's flaw was to humor you're ridiculous ideology.
you will also not name one single thing that will help the economy because then you'd have to admit you want the GW plan out loud
@ho-le-brain-damage-on-a-stick,
Using Romney math, Obama added 3.7m jobs to economy during his term (click here)
It's Official: Obama Is Creaming Bush When It Comes To Jobs
Mitt Romney's Job-less Plan
There are fewer people working today than when obama took office in Jan 2009.
He has not added 1 job, the unemployment rate of over 8% is all anyone needs to see.
Adding jobs would mean there would be more people working today than in Jan 2009 and the unemployment rate would not be over 8%.
Math is a very hard subject for the liberals.
Thank you GOP for running on jobs jobs jobs to get elected so you could then vote yourselves more vacation time instead of working on jobs jobs jobs.
ho-le-cow
Did you ever take Macro, or Micro Economics? Is there anything in text, or instruction, that says that the POTUS is solely responsible for the state of the economy?
Yet the media and most ill-informed, or uneducated folks still harp on THIS POTUS because "he needs to take onus of the state of the economy".
No he doesn't. He can only try to repair the damage from the real cause of the state of the economy which, at the end of the day, was perpetrated by 8 years of Bush.
Two unfunded wars, Medicare, and tax incentives for the wealthy. And you want to cry foul because POTUS if trying to fix it.
I can't understand the logic, but I can see the fear and hate by the right.
Oh My, Ooops go to the lefe to the right wing lies. Whaaaaa Whaaaa Whaaaa!
Just like you always say those on the right, just don't want the left to have oppinions.
especially when they state some good old liberal facts.
Mom the right wing idiots believe our credit rating was lowered because we raised the debt ceiling, so these people live in a parralel dimension.
There are more people in the US today than when Obama took office. In reality 4 million jobs have been added. Lets not forget the decrease in government jobs at the federal and state levels. There are less jobs in the public sector conservatives just as you wanted.
Taxes haven't been raised just as you wanted
public sector workers have been fired just as you wanted
corporate welfare has continued just as you wanted
less people are working and you've wanted that too
The same neo-cons talking about less people working are the same people chanting fire police, teachers firefihters and any other government worker. Well guess dummies that means less people working. But this is the party that believes expanding prosperity means shrinking the middle class and strangling the poor. So it's no surprise. After that primary nothing surprises me from the GOP at this point
The poor liberals. All they can do is run the person that opposes obama into the ground.
And let's face it, under obamas run the country is so much better off.
People are woring, the economy is growing by leaps and bounds .
Who in their left mind would want to change the way things are going?
The economy is so awesome under the democrates rule.
over 8% unempolyment, over 40 million people on food stamps.
Damn can't wait till obama kicks this in to full speed.
That's funny...Romney has lied through his teeth for his entire political career and he carpet bombs his opponents into the stone age with false ads, innuendo, and outright lies.
Obama has actually done a remarkable job with the country considering the state it was in after eight years of Bush stewardship--especially considering the congress has fought him at every turn.
Now intellectual giants on the right want to put Romney in with more of the same Bush policies that nearly tanked the country...because deregulating banks and corporations worked so well last time, right? Ten years of tax cuts for the wealthy "job creators" so they could create jobs in China and India. The only jobs the 1% wants to create for you are cleaning their pools, washing their cars, and mowing their grass.
Wake up.
I'm wondering whether Mitt Rmoney does have the audacity to look at his grand-children in the eyes and advise them that telling the truth is always the right thing to do.
Oh an Obama and his team are certainly straight shooters and above board on everything they do and say?
By the way, who gives a rat's backside what the Palestinians think, other than creating terrorists what other exported goods do they provide?
Speaking of terrorists you do know that being a troll on a left leaning blog is an act of terrorism.
What happened to dissent being patriotic?
Well thats a laugh you dissent when someone doesn't take rights away but when rights were being taken you hid under your bed wetting yourself in fear clutching your gun whining please uncle Dick protect me from those evil brown people I give up my rights. That is not patriotic that is just the opposite, just a scared little child who can't handle lifes dangers.
2008 obama: I will cut the deficit! He has added $5 trillion to it.
I will cut the unemployment rate! over 8% for over 41 months.
I will balance the budget! over 1100 days of no budget.
I will have an open government! never happend.
!
Then there is something called reality get into it instead of Reagan dip@!$%# land.
daivid james
There can be dissent as long as it means it benefits all of the people. Not just the few, or just the 1%.
ho-le-cow
Well, a lot of what you mentioned have no support from THOR! As a matter of fact they wanted him out from day one. Just ask Mitch McConnell. The $5 trillion was a necessity to keep us from going into a full blown depression.
The unemployment rate isn't indicative of the millions of jobs he help create and remember we lost many more millions of jobs because of Bush's policies at an incredible rate.
Do you honestly think that any SENSIBLE budget would be approved by the right? The budgets created by the right only serve the right and the wealthy.
And, open government? Not sure where you are on that, but many do correspond more on Twitter, and FB with this POTUS than any other that I can ever remember. Other than that, if you have a beef with the government, or whatever, you can do it the old fashioned way and write your congressmen.
Wow, not much to see here. This is just a venue for liberas to showcase their hate and ignorance. Too bad they can't debate policy.
And the reichwingnuts would love nothing better than to get us into another war so we can teach them the "American Way", just like we did in Iraq.
Ah no that would be the conservatives who always claim they are exceptional but show no exceptional traits, they think being born in the US makes them exceptional.
Right like being a member of the moron party takes any work. Really xe all it takes to be conservative is to be dumb enough to try to not change in a world that is in constant change, not something that would require effort but rather stupidity.
ask the Pat what he thinks the republican party is....you know the Buchanan repub....seems he more than concerned about that possibilty............of....hasta la by by..............
Peace & Love rereg of Vatican rereg of Lance rereg of ObamatheDictator.
See, Propaganda & Lies, that's what gave you away. That obsessiveness, the way you just keep repeating the same thing over and over.
I think it may be OCD.
Talking about a blow-up doll and beating it to death are two things you understand, aren't they?
There is absolutely a cultural disparity that drives the different economic outcomes between Israel, and the countries surrounding it (not just the Palestinians). Israel has an open culture, a democratic culture, a 'liberal' culture (not political liberal, western liberal), an entrepreneurial culture, a culture of laws, a culture of respect for other cultures, a culture of tolerance, a culture of capitalism. These are the elements of culture that have allowed Israel to thrive amidst the barbarity of their neighborhood.
The muslim and arab cultures (and persian in the case of Iran) have few of these attributes, or have other cultural directives and values that over-ride or undermine them. And they suffer the consequences. We (the west) struggle with finding or developing an arab societal model that we can co-exist with, because their culture is missing a set of values that allow for peaceful liberal democracy.
I'm not saying their society is "worse". I'm saying that the values of their culture don't support the growth of a liberal democracy. If a person (Romney) can't express that kind of fundamental truth... that's just political correctness, and I don't play that game (and apparently neither does Romney).
Wrong again, goto, Randy presented an opinion that he believes is true. We respect other peoples opinions here. What we don't respect are those who come here to spam up the conversation on every turn. Randy presented his statement and moved on. You were the wiseacher here, not any of us. I say take a closer look at yourself, but you wouldn't see anything.
There's no such thing as muslim culture
Having Romney as a world leader of America would be totally disasterous!!! In deed, the Palestinian leader described him correctly when he said he lacked grace and needs to be more educated in foreign affairs. Americans better wake-up because Romney is flip-flopping like a fish out of a pond even when he travels abroad. We know his sound bite by heart "Obama Care is socialism" yet he is praising Israel for their health care plan which is similar to the Affortable Care Act (ACA) that was approved by the Supreme Court which he says he is going to repeal on day 1. He is such an embarrasement to say the least! Also, he is acting like a bully even abroad... He has to put someone down even if it is a World leader or leaders. HE IS UNBELIEVABLE...
Mitt Romney is a fool and a coward, a flip flopper in the white house at his level of spinelessness will damage our nation's influence.
Now the substance....First palestine is not a country and the disparity is caused by Israeli policies in their indefinate occupation. Anyone who believes ithas anything to do with culture should name that specific tradition and remember islam is not a culture, ethnic background, or nationality
And interestingly enough if you think about it he's also sort insulting jewish people by describing them as always pursuing profit as part of their culture...which we know is a stereo type
Most importantly if Romney becauses president he will need to keep some friendly relations with the palestinians whether anyone likes that or not. Do you think they would listen to use if our leader is making it seem that america believes they're inferior? That undermines the peace that we alone in America enforce and threatens Israel since they can not survive without us
Mitt Rmoney's comments were characterized as "racist" by a Palestinian leader who further said that Mr. Rmoney was "out of touch with the realities of the Middle East."
Well, this is not news to most of us here in the US. Mitt Rmoney has simply been out-of-touch with the common human being's reality since the days he appeared on this planet, over six decades ago. He has done zero effort to correct that deficiency.
Now, he is pandering to the right-wing Jew's electorate here in the US by promoting hate towards the Palestinians. He is fundraising in foreign countries to finance his campaign here in the USA.
On November 6th we will send him back to the planet he came from.
Haahahaha... Poor Mitt he gets himself into so much crap, he needs to wear Hipwaders. VOTE DEM 2012 !!! Stop the Madness !
So does he intimidate you so much that you must try and intimidate him? Sort of goes with the territory doesn't it?
Just a little Momisms for the gotoisms, and the loveisms.
Now the vineism was "Romney attributes Wealth disparity between Israel and Palestine to "Culture".....So what is your ism on the subject? Or did you just come here to goof off.?
Hahaahaaa I prefer TRUTHism,
Hahahaaaa I prefer TRUTHism, VOTE DEM 2012!!
If I did not believe it before, I believe it now -- Romney is a walking disaster! "43" never screwed up like this guy, and if you want a second verse of the worst song, go ahead and cast your vote. But do it knowing it is the beginning of the end of the USA as we have known it. A vote for Romney is a vote for a guy who has no awareness of what he is saying, or the implications of what those who listen to him might construe.
well considerin teapubs he fits riggggggggggghhhhhhhhhht in.........
Mitt galvanized his inabilities on foreign polices. ROTFL.
I wish Romney was restrained in passing judgments. What is a problem praising people. Recently Israel is working hard for Palestinian economy if not freedom. This comment is insult to Israelis.
Israel get preference form USA and Jewish Businesses and communities all over the world. Israel is their temple and they endow it lavishly, just like Mormons do.
Rest of the world even Americans are no so lucky at least recently.
kiss my nunu....he did not say that....kiss what???????? ohhhhhhh my ribs....Romney buch is getting as much to listen to as them teapubs.....Palin and Bachmann.....ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....my ribs..........
ooooops.....ment to say Romney bunchhhhhhhh..........ohhhhhhh my ribs.......
Palin is legally blonde.
And what you say has a great deal of value????????
Willard doesn't know the difference between his ass from a hole in ground.
And what do you have to offer,go? Not much from what I have read here!
gotoleft: Go have a staring contest with a mirror!
Mitt should have mentioned that fact that the Palestinians have been an occupied people since 1948 and made more so after the 1967 Six Day war. Sure there are "cultural differences" and Israel has lots American made guns, tanks, and jet fighter planes to make sure their culture stays on top. So Romney needed to qualify his statements because the Palestinians have been living under a police state for over the last 60 years. I am not sure we will see the culture of the Palestinians thrive until a political solution is reached in the Middle East. I am not sure how this can be done but I am sure that Mitt Romney will not be that leader who finds a political solution to the problems between the Palestinians and the Jewish people in Israel. Its also worth noting that there are large numbers of Israeli Arabs too. Unemployment for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip can reach in some areas close to 40% according to the CIA World Fact book. I am trying to think what country can thrive living under a police state rule and where there are 40% or more of its people unemployed. Maybe Mitt can explain all this because I can not.
Palestine has never been a nation and Israel has never been an important one in all the history of mankind
both sides need to face up to the fact that they're both idiots with no divine rights to any land which happens to be some of the most worthless on the face of the earth
so both sides are fools to waste so much time and blood fighting over it
Palestinians fire a rocket, Israeli's go shoot a Palestinians
Oh sons of Abraham what a worthless legacy your father has left you
XEP: Israel is basically nothing more than a country that acts like a nasty bully. The Arab land was taken by Jews who emigrated to Palestine after WW II. The 1948 war creating Israel's existence meant that Palestinians were chased off of their land at gun point. The guns and other weapons were provided by Western Europe and the U.S. I admire Israel's military leaders and the valor of their soldiers but I am not in the least impressed by "Zionism" and particularly the politics of Israel post 1967 when settlements were built on the West Bank of the Jordan River. So when you wonder why the Palestinians are shooting rockets at the Israelis you have an answer.
The Palestinians are far from blameless people but its time for America to start washing its hands of our aid to Israel. Let's raise taxes on Mitt Romney so he can pay for Israel because quite frankly I am sick and tired to paying money to Israel to start more wars which is all we get back from our investments in Israel. Israel is a rat hole that sucks up resources better spent here at home. The British left us with Palestine in 1948 because they are bankrupt. Do conservatives want their taxes raised to support Israel in the 21st century?
The Israelis are sitting on Palestinian land while the Palestinians live in the squalor of refugee camps. If you were a Palestinian you would shoot rockets back at Israel too. No jobs, no economy, high unemployment, your family member locked up in an Israeli jail, and living in the squalor of a nasty camp without any resources just might make you rather pissed off too. Until there is a two state solution with a political foundation there will never be any peace for Israel because the Palestinians will just attack and keep on attacking. Shortages of fresh water in this part of the world is another problem policy makers face.
I am thinking the days of U.S. extravagance of supporting Israel is a bill we can no longer afford to pay. My generation is getting sick of Israel and its endless wars and conflicts we get to pay for. America is contracting and we do not have the extra money to keep pumping into Israel. A political solution leading to a two state solution of permanent peace is the only feasible alternatives to wars, terrorism, riots, filled by more wars and more expense that Israel creates for us every year.
Why are still paying four to five billion dollars annually in direct aid to support Israel with total aid in the form of loans amounting to about $140 billion annually? These loans are for military equipment that are paid off by Israel. I would rather see the investments made here at home for schools, roads, electrical grids and for green energy and mass transit initiatives. The U.S. needs to wash itself from these unfunded liabilities of the 20th century and make itself ready for economic warfare against our competitors in the BRIC nations in the 21st century. I am not saying we abandon Israel tomorrow but over a period of years we need to wash our hands of this Israeli aid and invest the money here at home instead. I have a wonderful idea, if Mitt Romney thinks Israel is so wonderful maybe he should feel like closing down his Swiss bank accounts or Cayman Island accounts and give the money to Israel. Israel is big enough to stand on its own but we first have to stand down the powerful Israeli lobby and its vice grip on Congress. The Israeli-military-Congressional complex is going to die a very hard death even after most Americans are so sick of Israel that we only wish it would go away and stand on its own two feet.