Last updated on July 25th, 2012 at 03:00 pm
On the Ed Show tonight, fill in host Michael Eric Dyson pointed out that Romney met privately with Australian foreign minister Bob Carr in San Fransisco on Sunday and later told donors that Carr and other foreign leaders think America is in decline.
That was supposed to be interpreted as a big dig at Obama, the only problem is that Carr never said that. Carr issued a statement saying that Romney’s interpretation of his comment was not accurate.
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Way to prove your diplomacy skills, Romney.
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Transcript via MSNBC with minor modifications:
Michael Eric Dyson: Mitt Romney’s trip overseas isn’t until later this week, but he’s already causing some tension with one of America’s closest allies. Romney met privately with Australian foreign minister bob Carr on Sunday. Later, he told hundreds of donors that he and other foreign leaders think America is in decline. Romney said, and this idea of America being in decline, it was interesting, car said that, he led the talk of America being in decline. Romney said business won’t invest in America because of this decline. But here’s the problem. Carr never said America is in decline. He had to release a statement saying his interpretation is not correct. President Obama had this response.
President Obama: So if anyone tries to tell you that our greatness has passed. That America is in decline, you tell them this. Just like the 20th century, the 21st century is going to be another great American century. For we are Americans, blessed with the greatest form of government ever devised by man. A democracy dedicated to freedom and committed to the ideals that still light the world. We will never apologize for our way of life, we will never waver in its defense. We are a nation that freed millions and turned adversaries into allies. We’re the Americans who defended the peace and turned back aggression. We’re Americans who welcome our global responsibilities and our global leadership. The United States has been and will remain the one indispensable nation in world affairs.
Michael Eric Dyson: All this madness about where Obama stands, and is he really American and truly a defender of the nation? That’s a president speaking in defense of his country.
How about we let Carr speak for himself?:
But Senator Carr said reports suggesting his comment was a criticism of the US economy were wrong.
He said his exact comment to Mr Romney was: “America is just one budget deal away from ending all talk of America being in decline,” Senator Carr said in a statement on Monday.
Senator Carr said his comment was in praise of US economic strengths.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesperson Julie Bishop said Senator Carr’s comments were being reported as implicit criticism of President Barack Obama’s performance.
“That will be seen as unwelcome intervention into the US presidential election,” she said.
What Bishop means by “Carr’s comments were being reported as implicit criticism of President Barack Obama” is that Romney used one of our biggest allies to try to drive a wedge between our current President and their Foreign Minister, and threw Carr under the bus to do it. The Australians are none too pleased to be used to attack the President.
Either Romney really doesn’t care about America or he’s just so desperate to score a point against the President that he’s not above using our allies to try to elevate himself while knocking the President down. Let’s hope if Romney wins we never need Australia for anything.
It’s becoming clear that being a venture capitalist doesn’t offer much opportunity for the subtle skills that international relations require. This may be Romney’s weakest area yet, and that’s saying something.
America waits with bated breath to see what disasters await us courtesy of Romney’s upcoming overseas trip.
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