Tuesday, October 16, 2007

MITT ROMNEY

Mitt Romney before the Republican Jewish Coalition

A bit later than scheduled after lunch, Mitt Romney takes the lectern. Romney went to Israel with the Republican Jewish Coalition in January.

“When Ann and I went to Israel earlier this year, a lot of people thought the Israeli-Palestinian problem was about borders and land. If you don’t understand the problem very well, you can’t solve it.  Boundaries are not the issue in the Middle East.  Nor is the plight or poverty of the Palestinian people — that could have been solved a long time ago with the extraordianry oil wealth of their Arab neighbors. The real problem is that the radical jihadists want to take over the world.”

"Take Jimmy Carter. Remember that old Henny Youngman line? Take Jimmy Carter, please."

"The surge is so important. I know that the blood and sacrifice is not in vain: we have eliminated safe haven after save haven."

Romney says it is time for the Democrats to say whether they are willing to act to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. He says it's time for the Arab states to "stop wringing their hands and hoping that the United States will take action."

"Real peace requires secure institutions and a desire for peace, and there's just not anyone to talk to right now, who's got those institutions in place."

I think Romney is following a bit of the Giuliani playbook, using general-election style rhetoric hitting "Democrats" and "the liberal mind." He's not calling out Hillary specifically like Giuliani does, though.

He hits the United Nations Human Rights Council for ignoring abuses around the globe. "It is time to end the U.S. support for this sad spectacle." He says he doesn't want the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations, but from the Human Rights Council.

During the Q & A, Romney says "the president is not only the commander-in-chief, he's the teacher in chief. I remember Ross Perot and those charts - we all laughed at him, but we all learned something from them, too. I think someone has to teach Americans the consequences of $100 per barrel oil."

Romney says that "when Khalid Sheik Mohammed was captured, he said "I'll see you in New York with my lawyers.' He didn't go to New York to meet his lawyers. He went to Guantanamo Bay, where he met members of our military and members of the CIA." I hadn't heard that story about KSM before.

I see Romney has used the story before, so I can't imagine he's repeating an urban legend.

He mentions the average health care insurance bill for a resident of Boston has been nearly cut in half since his plan went into effect.

10/16 02:27 PMShare