Showing posts with label david cameron. Show all posts
Showing posts with label david cameron. Show all posts

Saturday, June 25, 2016

England's Historic #Brexit Shakes Up the World

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Britain voted on a referendum to either leave the European Union of nations or remain part of the network. The conventional wisdom was that England would never vote to leave, yet that's exactly what happened yesterday, sending shockwaves around the world as the pound sterling decreased in value overnight, and markets responded to the new uncertainty by falling around the globe.

Perhaps the most disturbing part of the Brexit were those who admitted on the news that they though their "protest votes" to leave wouldn't matter, that London would vote to remain and that would save the empire - or something like that. In effect, the voters sounded ignorant and regretful that their votes mattered.

Brexit is a cautionary tale for the world - elections have consequences.











































































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Saturday, January 24, 2015

Fox News Frenzy Over Imaginary "No-Go-Zones" in Europe

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Previous Related Post:
Je Suis Charlie ~ Paris Attack on Charlie Hebdo

After the attacks in Paris by Islamic terrorists, Fox News in the U.S. decided to "Euro-splain" that many countries, specifically France and England, have segregated "no-go zones" for Muslims where regular people dare not go. Yes, they made that up out of thin air, and have had to retract all the outlandish statements by their pundits by apologizing on-air multiple times.



From The Nation
(Fox News Pundit Jean) Pirro was one of the apologizers, which she did almost with a smirk. She previously had “terrorism expert” Steve Emerson on her show, where he claimed that Birmingham, England, was a city-sized no-go zone and was “totally Muslim.” (In fact, the population is closer to 22 percent Muslim.) British Prime Minister David Cameron called Emerson “a complete idiot,” and Fox soon released a statement saying he was unlikely to appear on air again. (Emerson apologized, profusely, on his website.)
Maybe even more embarrassing was journalist Nolan Peterson telling Fox & Friends’s Elisabeth Hasselbeck that there are “741 no-go zones throughout France.” He said his own past trips to Paris were “pretty scary. I’ve been to Afghanistan and Iraq and Kashmir, India, and at times, it felt like that, those places in these no-go zones.”
Turns out, as Snopes found, the “no-go zones” are an international urban myth based on a bad translation for “zones urbaines sensibles” (ZUS) or “sensitive urban zones,” areas that “are not exempted from policing or French law, and are simply targeted for renewal initiatives.”





From MSNBC:
It’s not every day that a foreign leader feels the need to publicly criticize an American pundit, but under the circumstances, British Prime Minister David Cameron was on firm ground yesterday.
. . . Specifically, the British prime minister said, “When I heard this, frankly, I choked on my porridge and I thought it must be April Fool’s Day,” adding, “[T]his guy is clearly a complete idiot.”
In a separate interview, Gisela Stuart, who represents Birmingham in the House of Commons, added, “I checked whether this was some kind of early April Fool spoof, and then I thought he was talking about Birmingham, Alabama. But then I realized he was just utterly and completely wrong.”

From Politico
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is planning to sue Fox News for its inaccurate reports on Muslim "no go zones," she told CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday.
"When we're insulted, and when we've had an image, then I think we'll have to sue, I think we'll have to go to court, in order to have these words removed," Hidalgo told Amanpour in an interview. "The image of Paris has been prejudiced, and the honor of Paris has been prejudiced."
When asked to clarify which network she planned "to take to court and sue," Hidalgo replied: “Fox News, that’s the name.”




Hilarious Spoof of Fox's "Fear Everything" Approach
by Le Petit Journal


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Gifs Via Blinking_Red_Light on Tumblr



Jon Stewart on the Daily Show called the retractions by Fox the "rare foxus contritus of legend" for the "Zone Rangers."

"How bad does bullshit have to smell before the odor is detected by people who live on a mountain made of that substance?"



Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal took the "no-go zone" talking point and ran with it, doubling down when asked to clarify, like the dumbass that he is.

From Talking Points Memo
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) on Wednesday stood behind his declaration that European cities have Muslim "no-go zones" and went on to say that if the U.S. wasn't careful, it would be seeing its own "no-go zones" soon.
. . . "If people don't want to come here to integrate and assimilate, what they're really trying to do is set up their own culture, their own communities," Jindal said. "What they're really trying to do is overturn our culture. We need to recognize that threat."
"If we don't, we're gonna see a replica of what's happening in Europe in America," Jindal continued. "We're gonna see our own no-go zones if we're not serious about insisting on assimilation and integration."






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Saturday, July 28, 2012

Romney Shambles Day Three: On to Israel - Updated


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Romney Shambles Day One: Disconcerting London Gaffes
Romney Shambles Day Two: British Press Pounces
Romney Shambles Day Three: On to Israel
Romney Shambles Day Four: Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran
Romney Shambles Day Five: Poland
Romney Shambles Day Six: Warsaw Speech
Romney Shambles Review

Romney’s stumblebum London debut leaves even supporters distraught
~ Headline in the National Post UK



The British media were quick to launch into Mitt Romney in the wake of his less-than-complimentary views on London's Olympics.
The Daily Telegraph's Lucy Jones branded him a 'wazzock' (which the Urban Dictionary defines as an idiot or daft person') after the U.S. presidential hopeful questioned Britain's desire to host the Games.
She said: 'Who does Mitt Romney think he is? I feel a glimmer of protectiveness and pride... there's one thing Romney could learn while he's in Britain this week: some manners.'
~ Quoted in the Daily Mail


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. . . the British press devour(ed) Mr. Romney like a pile of mushy peas. His campaign was slow and flat-footed in recognizing it had a problem, and unable to improvise a quick response.
Afterward, the campaign said that Mr. Romney had misspoken because he was tired and jet-lagged. “Even the Energizer Bunny needs new batteries once in a while,” said an adviser, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a delicate topic.
~ The New York Times


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[London Mayor Boris] Johnson . . . lived up to his reputation as an eccentric, odd fellow. It was unbecoming to attack Governor Romney in that way. There really was no need. But Johnson made it clear in 2008 that his vote would have gone to Obama. . .
. . . What [Romney] gave was the honest assessment of the [Olympic] situation based on his previous experience. Unfortunately in a diplomatic context that's not the sort of thing that should have been coming out of the candidate's mouth. It was bad messaging and media prep. . . .
The trip should have been a straightforward one, he said. ‘You show up, you smile, you do photo ops, you talk about the special relationship, the deep bonds that connect us and then you go home, or in this case on to Israel and Poland. . . .
Unfortunately, it shows that the campaign by solely focussing on jobs has really neglected foreign policy and international affairs . . .
(Calling Labour Leader Milliband "Mr. Leader"). . . The first rule of diplomacy is that when you're in a foreign country you get titles and forms of address correct. . . . It played into some stereotypical impressions of Americans, that they’re ignorant of local concerns, that they don’t get names or titles right. . . .
Governor Romney didn’t do himself any favours. Did he do himself long-term damage? I doubt it. There's a good chance that Cameron may not win re-election, which means for at least half of Romney's term he would have another Prime Minister in there.
~ Unknown Romney Campaign Official quoted in The Daily Mail

You have to shake your head. Gov. Romney went to the London Olympics at invitation of the International Olympic Committee. It was a great opportunity for him to talk about his experiences, look, he stepped away from the leadership of Bain Capital for three years in order to step in and save the floundering Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002. I bet there is lots of stories he could be talking about what a wonderful experience that was and how uplifting and inspiring it was. Instead he got stuck making a, somehow or another that the comments the Brits took as insult, and walked it back pretty quickly and walked it back adroitly but nonetheless the damage was done.
~ Republican Strategist Karl Rove via Talking Points Memo





NPR: Obama Pre-Empts Romney on Israel
Obama's Friday signing of the U.S.-Israel Enhanced Security Act, which increases assistance to Israel to defend against missiles and rockets from Iranian-backed extremist groups, gave the president a chance to somewhat pre-empt Romney's trip.
Romney's visit to Israel this weekend is meant to underscore the Republican's campaign message, aimed at Jewish and evangelical Christians voters, that he would be a more loyal ally to Israel than Obama has been.
The legislation signed Friday by Obama passed with unusual speed and bipartisanship in a Congress best known for partisan gridlock. And it gave the president and his Democratic allies something with which to counter anti-Obama efforts by billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and the Republican Jewish Coalition — efforts reported this week by The New York Times.









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We can almost speak in shorthand. We share common experiences and have a perspective and underpinning which is similar.
~ Mitt Romney quoted in the New York Times, April 2012

From Vanity Fair on Romney and Netanyahu
Netanyahu is once reported to have said—he now denies it—that he “speaks English with a heavy Republican accent.” “Israel’s current prime minister is not just a friend, he’s an old friend,” Mitt Romney, with whom Netanyahu worked at the Boston Consulting Group in the 1970s, told aipac in March. (Romney, Netanyahu suggests, may have overstated the tie. “I remember him for sure, but I don’t think we had any particular connections,” he tells me. “I knew him and he knew me, I suppose.”)
. . . Netanyahu insists his relationship with Obama is friendlier than it has been portrayed. They are, he tells me, “two people who appreciate the savviness and strength of the other

Mitt Romney Lies About His BFF Bibi
~ Headline on Wonkette

Bibi Tosses Mitt Under the Bus
~ Headline on Mother Jones

President [George W.] Bush urged [deposed Egyptian President] Hosni Mubarak to move toward a more democratic posture, but President Obama abandoned the freedom agenda and we are seeing today a whirlwind of tumult in the Middle East in part because these nations did not embrace the reforms that could have changed the course of their history, in a more peaceful manner.
. . . Clearly we're disappointed in seeing Tunisia and Morocco elect Islamist governments. We're very concerned in seeing the new leader in Egypt as an Islamist leader. It is our hope to move these nations toward a more modern view of the world and to not present a threat to their neighbors and to the other nations of the world," he said.
~ Mitt Romney, quoted in gambling mogul and political superpac leader Sheldon Adelson's newspaper Israel Hayom

What's the new hashtag #RomKippur?
~ comment by Lib Dem FoP on Daily Kos









Press will be barred from the Monday-morning event at the King David hotel, a Romney campaign aide said, a break with the campaign’s protocol of allowing a small contingent of press to cover finance events in public locales such as hotels.
The Jerusalem fundraiser is expected to draw generous donors living in both the U.S. and Israel, including casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who recently gave $10 million to the super PAC that supports Mr. Romney.
~ Wall Street Journal



















Though there have been a few occasions when the campaign has tried to limit access — citing an especially small venue or the fact that Mr. Romney was not giving formal remarks — this is the first time that a public fund-raiser has been closed without any explanation.
Mr. Romney’s high-dollar event in London on Thursday, held at the Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park, was open to a press pool.
. . . “Closed press, closed press, closed press,” a Romney spokesman Rick Gorka said when asked for a comment or explanation.
~ The New York Times





The campaign’s decision to close the fundraiser to the press violates the ground rules it negotiated with news organizations in April, when Romney wrapped up the Republican nomination and began opening some of his finance events to the news media.
Under the agreement, a pool of wire, print and television reporters can cover every Romney fundraiser held in public venues, including hotels and country clubs. The campaign does not allow media coverage of fundraisers held in private residences.
Campaign spokesman Rick Gorka declined to explain the campaign’s decision to violate protocol with the Jerusalem event. Pressed repeatedly by reporters to offer an explanation, Gorka said only that the fundraiser was “closed press.”
“That’s all I’ve got for you — it’s closed press,” Gorka said.
~ The Washington Post






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Friday, July 27, 2012

Romney Shambles Day Two: British Press Pounces


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Romney Shambles Day One: Disconcerting London Gaffes
Romney Shambles Day Two: British Press Pounces
Romney Shambles Day Three: On to Israel
Romney Shambles Day Four: Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran
Romney Shambles Day Five: Poland
Romney Shambles Day Six: Warsaw Speech
Romney Shambles Review



Recap of yesterday in London from the DNC via Daily Kos:




~ Mitt the twit ~ Wannabe US President Romney in Games insult, but David Cameron insists: We’ll show you
Headline on The Sun

THE Republican candidate for the US presidency, Mitt Romney, appears to be something of a wind-up merchant where Britain is concerned.
He has seen fit to question Britain’s readiness to stage the 2012 Olympics, and expressed doubt about whether the British people will truly embrace the Games
. . . We know there are those who hope Britain fails to deliver. Indeed, as a nation, we are pretty good at knocking ourselves.
But the scenes which greeted the Olympic torch parade, in every city, town and village, show beyond doubt that the people of Britain will embrace the Games with pride.
Just you watch, Mr Romney.
~ The Northern Echo

How Diana Has Been Baptized a Mormon
~ Headline on the Telegraph UK this morning

Every Olympics is ready, I don't care whatever he [Romney] said. I swear, sometimes I think some Americans shouldn't leave the country. Are you kidding me, stay home if you don't know what to say.
~ American Olympic Gold Medal Winner, Carl Lewis, to the Independent UK

I’m so excited . . . I am thrilled to be here on London for the 2012 Olympic games. I am proud to be leading the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony.
~ First Lady Michelle Obama upon arriving in London for the Olympic Games

Are you watching Mitt? Michelle Obama gives a fun masterclass in diplomacy
~ Headline in the Standard UK








Rarely has a presidential candidate been so remorselessly ridiculed. On the eve of Britain’s most high-profile event for decades (and its biggest peacetime security operation), Romney has diverted us from the usual complaints about the traffic, the weather, or unavailable tickets, and united the country in celebration of his gaffes.
By comparison, Romney has made our politicians look good: and there should be Olympic medals for that.
~ Peter Jukes on The Daily Beast

We’re not worried about overseas headlines. We’re worried about voters back here at home in America. Gov. Romney has said that he expected the London Olympics to be a phenomenal success. The reality is we’re all rooting for our American athletes. We hope they come back with a bunch of medals, and I’m sure they’re going to be very successful, but the reality is the focus needs to continue to be on the issues that are important to voters back home.
~ Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, defending Romney

It's not good for us as a country -- it's not good for him -- but as a country to have somebody that's nominated by one of the principal parties to go over and insult everybody. . . .
I think I would have thought up this on my own and not [have to rely] on the staff. I would go there and I would say, 'They have done a remarkably good job. I know how they have been hurt with the economy. But they have done this. I have done it myself. It's so hard to do, and they have done a remarkably good job.' That's what they should have done. He would have been cheered and not have the mayor, before 60,000 people, belittle one of our major party nominees. And that's what the mayor did.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

The image is somewhat that he's not ready for prime time. It's London for God's sakes. You have to try to mess up a foreign debut in Great Britain if you're an American candidate for president. It looks terrible. He was a gaffe machine. It wasn't just a single gaffe. Every time he opened his mouth he created another gaffe," he said. "It's late July. The memory of it will be wiped out by the Olympics, the vice-presidential choice and the [Republican] convention. But does it play into the dilemma Americans have in this election? Yes. They're very dissatisfied with President Obama's economic performance but they're not at all sure that Romney's the kind of president that they want or need.
~ Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics


























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Thursday, July 26, 2012

Romney ShamblesDay One: "Disconcerting" London Gaffes - With Update 2


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Romney Shambles Day One: Disconcerting London Gaffes
Romney Shambles Day Two: British Press Pounces
Romney Shambles Day Three: On to Israel
Romney Shambles Day Four: Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran
Romney Shambles Day Five: Poland
Romney Shambles Day Six: Warsaw Speech
Romney Shambles Review


You know it's hard to know just how well it will turn out. There are a few things that were disconcerting. The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials - that obviously is not something which is encouraging.
. . . It is impossible for absolutely no mistakes to occur. Of course there will be errors from time to time, but those are all overshadowed by the extraordinary demonstrations of courage, character and determination by the athletes.
The Games are, after all, about the athletes, the volunteers and the people of the community who come together to celebrate those athletes. As soon as the Games begin, we all forget the organisers and focus on the athletes.
. . . Do they come together and celebrate the Olympic moment? That's something which we only find out once the Games actually begin.
~ Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney in London

We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. Of course it’s easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere.
~ British Prime Minister David Cameraon, referring perhaps to Mitt's Olympic experience in Salt Lake City, Utah

I think we will show the whole world not just that we come together as a United Kingdom but also we're extremely good at welcoming people from across the world.
~ Prime Minister Cameron, quoted by CNN

To look out of the back side of 10 Downing Street and see a venue having been constructed and knowing that athletes will be carrying out their competition almost in the backyard of the Prime Minister is really quite an accomplishment on the part of those who wanted to make sure that the Olympics was not something held far off where the people can't enjoy, but something held right in London itself
~ Mitt Romney's Palinesque Word Salad about his new view of the London Olympics after meeting with Cameron, from Independent UK

Romney Rolling Back His Previous Statements:



Like you, Mr Leader, I look forward to our conversations this morning ... and recognise, of course, the unique relationship that exists between our nations, our commitment to common values, our commitment to peace in the world and our desire to see a stronger and growing economy.
~ Mitt Romney addressing Labo Leader, Ed Ed Miliband

Mr Leader? Did Mitt Romney forget Ed Miliband's name?
~ Headline on the Independent UK

I appreciated the insights and perspectives of the leaders of the government here and the opposition here as well as the head of MI6.
~ Mitt Romney bragging about meeting ir John Sawers, the chief of Britain's MI6 Secret Intelligence Service

For our American readership, this isn't like bragging you just met David Petraeus. The British take on the national secret intelligence service comes with an extra-heavy dollop of the whole secret thing. The very existence of the MI6 was not officially acknowledged until 1994.
Good luck, Romney handlers: this is only stop No. 1 on a three-stop international tour. What will he say in Jerusalem? That when you really look at it there are some pretty daunting barriers to the peace process, like take all those Arab Israelis, how's that going to work out for a Jewish state?
~ Guardian UK

Not content with upsetting his British hosts, Mr Romney has now also managed to enrage the travelling American press corps, who pay tens of thousands of dollars to follow him around the globe. After his meeting with Ed Miliband, the Republican presidential challenger apparently took questions only from British reporters.
The gaffe-prone Mr Romney is so rarely made available to these media "embeds" on the trail that his campaign has been nicknamed the "Mittness Protection Programme". So his decision to ignore them during one such "avail" went down predictably badly.
~ John Swaine, reporter for Telegraph UK

Romney’s press-corps faux pas: During his meeting with Miliband, according to the pool report, Romney answered questions from British reporters but did not take any questions from the American reporters, which isn’t protocol. In fact, it’s considered a bit of an insult to the U.S reporters who are following the presumptive GOP presidential nominee overseas. Even bringing this up will lead some to say, “There goes the media, whining again.” But folks, those of us that have traveled overseas and been involved in these VERY limited press avails have rarely seen heads of democracies TOTALLY ignore their own press corps but answer ANOTHER press corps’ questions. Sure, it would have looked REALLY bad had Romney ignored the U.K. questions. But is the campaign so intent on limiting media access that the candidate won’t call an audible when standing next to a leader from another country who DOES want to take questions?
~ MSNBC First Read

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If Shakespeare was still alive he couldn't write a character better than Mitt!!!
~ comment by rksnj67 on Huff Post

Just thank the right wing for allowing this embarrassment to talk and represent the US around the world. This guy is worse than bush, didn't think that was possible.
~ comment by meronnotu on Huffington Post

Swiss Mitt to Brits: You limeys could have fixed these Olympics if you had followed MY Great and Powerful Bain Leadership Skills. Just get $1.3 billion from the US Federal Treasury and all your problems are solved.
~ comment by sunbeltvoter on Huff Post

The Gaffe-Tastic Mr. Romney
~ Headline on Salon.com

What accounts for Romney’s capacity to consistently insult even those he’s trying to court? I’d argue it’s his fantastic sense of entitlement, with its accompanying inability to feel empathy for the less fortunate. It may or may not be connected to his pranking/bullying impulse, which showed itself in his school days when he forcefully cut the hair of a gay classmate, led a sight-impaired teacher into a closed door, or intimated friends by impersonating a state trooper. Romney clearly lacks the ability to put himself in the shoes of others (except other wealthy business owners). That’s a bad trait on the campaign trail, but when it extends to the leaders of other sovereign nations, it’s a terrible trait in a president.
~ Joan Walsh on Salon.com

He's showing all the tact and savvy you'd expect from someone relying on crib notes prepared by John Bolton and Dan Senor.
~ comment by Dartagnan on Daily Kos

Did he meet James Bond?
~ comment by Lenny Flank on Daily Kos

Being condescended to by a rich Yank - I'm sure they're just eating that up.
~ comment by Igmcp on Daily Kos

Mitt overseas, a glimpse of a Palin presidency.
~ comment by FiredUpinCA on Daily Kos

































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UPDATE 2





I hear there's a guy called Mitt Romney who wants to know whether we're ready. He wants to know whether we're ready. Are we ready? Are we ready? Yes, we are!
~ Boris Johnson to the crowd waiting for the Olympic Torch in Hyde Park today




















Mitt Romney made all kinds of news for saying and doing the wrong things in the first full day of his trip to London. The trip was meant to make him look presidential. In the apt summation of John Podhoretz, it made him look like Mr. Bean. The Romney show continues tomorrow, when he attends the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. Should be fun!
• British politicians David Cameron and Boris Johnson took umbrage at Romney's remarks and ridiculed Romney in front of tens of thousands of people, respectively. We can't believe we just typed that sentence.
~ The Guardian UK





All he has to do is show up and say wonderful stuff about his host and why we're going to be strong allies. And everybody in those countries and around the world will understand. It's a rebuke, without saying so, a silent rebuke to Obama - 'you treated the Brits and the Poles and the Israelis pretty shabbily, particularly the Brits. Remember when he came into the Oval Office he removed the bust of Churchill. There's a state department spokesman who said 'there's no special relationship,' etcetera, etcetera, a long list of stuff....
All Romney has to do, say nothing. It’s like a guy in the 100-meter dash. All he has to do is to finish, he doen’t have to win. And instead, he tackles the guy in the lane next to him and ends up disqualified. I don’t get it.
~ Republican Pundit Charles Krauthammer on Fox News


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