Axelrod Responds to Romney's Attacks
From CNN's State of the Union, David Axelrod responds to Mitt Romney's carping that the President is taking too long to make a decision on troop levels in Afghanistan. Axelrod should have told King to ask Mittens when those 'brave sons' of his were going to sign up to go over there the next time he interviews him since he's so terribly concerned about sending more troops.
KING: As you know, conservatives have been critical of the president's policy review, saying, ‘why is it taking so long?’. The former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney gave a speech this week in which he said, not only why is it taking so long for the president to decide, but he also said why is David Axelrod, his top political advisor involved in these deliberations? Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: I find it incomprehensible and inexcusable that this president invites David Axelrod into national security meetings. Polls and politics have no place at that table. [...] He is the commander-in-chief. What has he been doing? Do you realize he carried out more than 30 campaign visits in this last season, for various Democrats? While he can't make up his mind on Afghanistan, or have enough time to meet with generals. He is out there campaigning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Let's take them in order. Why is David Axelrod deserve a seat at that table? And why is it taking so long?
AXELROD: Well, first of all, let's be clear. David Axelrod does not have a seat at that table. I have observed these discussions because, as I am today, I have to help communicate the message of the administration. And so it is helpful for me to hear. I have not said a word in any of those meetings.
Now let's take the second part. Governor Romney has to choose one argument or another. Either he has to say he is not paying attention or he has to say he is taking too long because he has been involved in a rigorous review. The president has had hours and hours and hours of meetings with his military commanders, with his national security team, to run through every aspect of this, in order to get it right.
And we've seen in the past what happens when we don't do that; when we don't do the necessary preparations. And he is determined to get Afghanistan right. It is something that Secretary Gates supports. It is something that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff supports; General McChrystal has been supportive of this process.
You know, I know that Governor Romney has never had responsibility for any decision akin to this, so he just may not be familiar with all that it entails. But I think the American people are being well served by a process that is assiduous and in which every aspect of this is considered. Because, after all, lives of American servicemen are involved here. An enormous investment on the part of the American people, we ought to get it right.
when ROVE was in every Bush Meeting???
cricket - cricket - cricket.
but putting pressure on Federal Prosecutors to go after Democrats and their supporters.
'Talk to the hand'
-if he shot from the hip like 'Shrub' and Darth.
Alan Grayson for President, Elizabeth Warren for Vice President, and Paul Krugman for Secretary of the Treasury!
as he uttered during one of the GOP pres debates back in 2007. and, as im sure the esteemed flip-flopping ken doll governor knows, Gitmo is one the biggest recruiting tools that Al Qaeda has. and yet he wanted to double it. therefore, sir, with that logic AQ would've doubled there recruiting efforts. with that sort of judgment, sir, its just as well youre not President. you would be lousy at it.
"There never was a good war or bad peace"
What is our objective in Afghanistan? Are there non-violent ways of achieving out goal?
Another quote:
"Generally speaking, the first nonviolent act is not fasting, but dialogue. The other side, the adversary, is recognized as a person, he is taken out of his anonymity and exists in his own right, for what he really is, a person. To engage someone in dialogue is to recognize him, have faith in him. At every step in the nonviolent struggle, at every level we try tirelessly to establish a dialogue, or reestablish it if it has broken down. When I say 'the other side,' that could be a group of persons or a government."
Hildegard Goos-Mayr
Obama is trying to practice the above suggestions with Iran. Of course the conservatives want to be at war with everyone. Most because it is lucrative, and others because they are cowardly SOBs.
Only so long as they and theirs don't have to do any of the fighting. And, only so long as they and theirs can make a handsome profit from it. If you take the money-making opportunity out of the equation, the neo-CONS would be all against war, only because it would be a tax drain.
they and theirs ....." etc...
Hey Romney...where are those fine, five strapping sons of YOURS??????? You know, the dudes who 'couldn't' be taking time to sign up for military service while they were running all over the country in that awesome RV for your presidential run....
Helllooooooooooooooo..................maybe if their lazy asses were over in Afghanistan, or on the line waiting to see if they're going...you'd be a little more appreciative of the president taking his time to decide...oh wait, then you'd be screaming about the fact he was even thinking of sending more....
(these asshats want it both ways, doncha know!)
"The other side, the adversary, is recognized as a person, he is taken out of his anonymity and exists in his own right, for what he really is, a person. To engage someone in dialogue is to recognize him, have faith in him." -Doesn't even work with the Greedy Old Prick party
Alan Grayson for President, Elizabeth Warren for Vice President, and Paul Krugman for Secretary of the Treasury!
Romney is such a pompous, self-absorbed fool. Why should the teevee media be giving him any sort of platform to be whining about who he thinks should be in on such conversations?
because he has such pretty hair.
What did Romney ever do for PEACE in this world?
Romney flubs his name and treats him like NOTHING.
Romney is obviously looking for a CAUSE on which to hang a run for the presidency in 2012. He might be handsome... but he's not very bright. He's a Mormon... and a Republican. One more STRIKE, and he's OUTTA HERE.
While Axelrod did a decent job of refuting Mitt the Moron's bullshit, he could have been much more affirmative about it. After all, that approach works fine for Alan Grayson.
Screw this nice guy stuff. Time to get the gloves off with these bullies.
"We will find fulfillment not in the goods that we have, but in the good we can do for each other."
Robert F. Kennedy
on Axelrod getting Romney in a headlock and giving him an atomic noogie.
'Talk to the hand'
he could not even make it out of the Republican primary for president. He rushes to judgment about things he doesn't even have enough information to make an informed opinion about.
Yup, after crating his dog on top of his car for hours in a 60 plus mph drive, and the dog s**t the place in fear, good ole Mitt pulled right over and hosed him down IMMEDIATELY.
THAT'S the kind of QUICK action we need here.
When asked if the dog was in any danger, Mitten's said no, he was in an air tight cage.
I'm not kidding. You can't make this shit up.
Good god are these neoclowns fucking stupid!
Rush Limbaugh is what a smart person thinks a stupid bigot sounds like.
"When asked if the dog was in any danger, Mitten's said no, he was in an air tight cage."
Alan Grayson for President, Elizabeth Warren for Vice President, and Paul Krugman for Secretary of the Treasury!
They really do deserve it.
Hey!As far as patriotic duties go,I'm sure Mitt's sons will do more than their share helping out dear old Dad the next time he makes one of his inevitable hot and horny lunges at the Presidency.He's probably already having his teeth laminated and his hair waxed.
"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "
-Jack Handy
"Polls and politics have no place at that table."
Mind's boggling as we speak. Has a republican ever said something he or she sincerely believed in aside from hooker-trolling?
I really like the sardonic, subtle nature of this exact phrase and the straight delivery of it. With that sentence, he triple slaps Romney in such a deft way (It's like a veritable slapsgiving). That sentence is indeed loaded with implied meaning.
Romney must really be bitter that 1) he isn't in the White House and 2) that the carnival sideshow that was formally known as the GOP didn't choose him to be their presidential candidate for 2008 and aren't even interested in him for 2012. I guess those who can't, critique and spew nonsensical demagoguery?
for saying so well exactly what I was thinking, although I had planned to use the word "bitchslapped" in my response.
Actually, I like slapsgiving much better, too.
However, I can't take credit for slapsgiving. It's from a TV show called "How I Met Your Mother."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_xWS0JfMik
Mitty, the Kennedy's are all gone now. You should return to wearing your Mullet and Elvis t-shirt.
It's absurd for Romney to accuse Obama of campaigning for Democratic candidates.
I don't know why Axelrod didn't point out that while Romney can go around taking partisan shots about Afghanistan while he's campaigning to be President in 2012, Obama actually has to BE the commander-in-chief NOW.
I think Palin called those "real responsibilities" during the 2008 campaign :-). It's amusing that four of the GOP leading lights for 2012 (Romney, Palin, Newt, Rudy) have none.
yup....I'm still waiting for same kind of comments from the quitta from Wasilla...
6 June 1944. It took two years to plan the invasion to Europe. Although Afghanistan does not have a WWII scope, people still are going to die. That means, this a move that have to be thought out. Romney is probably already counting his Industrial Defense investments profits and he is getting impatient.
Obama is no Bush dumm ass leader. Obama is a responsible huma being.
Can't say the same about Republicans.
Romney is just one more chickenshit chickenhawk that seems to have slept through the bush years when a gut named rove was all over the bush co. policies and thoughtless decisions.
the re-pubic parties fake outrage is wearing very very thin.
(a) Mittens the Pander Bear is lying; I don't have a seat at that table.
(b) He's also a fool to demand a return to knee-jerk military decisions inspired by greed and panic.
Everyone is equally entitled to the pursuit of happiness. Wasn't that once self evident?
This is a pretty weak response. Compare it to Romney's full speech and the fact that Obama met with his top general in Afghanistan ONCE in 90 days and it is CLEAR that this President has his priorities mixed up, and probably the wrong advisors, if they are not keeping him on task!
Yes, Mr. Axelrod, our soldiers are dying, but it is not because the President is doing his job!
... to the segment? Axelrod said Obama has met with advisors for "hours and hours and hours" to evaluate the entire situation before making what is an extremely important decision that will affect the lives of many Americans. Obama has not just met on the issue in the only 90-minute meeting you might remember. It was a weak response only in that Axelrod did not ask why Romney's five sons have never volunteered for any of these awful GOP-initiated wars!
The right wingers pretend they know what they are talking about.
Bush left behind a losing war on 20 Jan 2009.
What is the winning strategy?
Why did Bush not implement it?
Because Afghanistan was the needed push-off point for "Shock and Awe" which was in the planning long before the yay-hoos got into the Oval Office in January, 2001.
Who the hell is Mitt Romney any way to be out there criticizing the President on matters about which he knows nothing? He's an ex-governor for crying out loud. I get so sick of these right wing Monday morning quarterbacks and their constant attacks and second guessing EVERYTHING the president does. It's not good for the country, but then they don't care about that. They only care about what they think is good for them.
And as for David Axelrod, I recall Karl Rove sitting behind Bush at all sorts of high level meetings. Of course that was fine for Bush. He's a Republican. These Republicans have become so frickin petty in their criticism, it's utterly absurd.
? What has this guy done that makes him an expert on anything? I think it all goes to show what I have been saying for sometime now is a fact! That republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness that is killing America and any place else it's influence is felt!
to get Afghanistan right is to declare victory and get the hell out of there before one more American or Afghan civilian dies because of this stupid "war."
Mittens? Pretty much sums it up doesn't it.
Oh, time to get out of Afghanistan. Al Qaeda is gone, mission accomplished. Time to come home.
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