Pepper sprayed for public safety.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

The article you linked doesn't suggest that anyone in the US gov't "condemned" any particular speech. Instead, Clinton "condemned" the attacks and Obama said "We reject all efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, but there is absolutely no justification to this type of senseless violence. None. The world must stand together to unequivocally reject these brutal acts.”

So what line did we cross?

There were twitter postings, including an attached statement, from the Embassy at a point when the demonstrations were gathering that were later deleted - that is what Romney attacked as the response of the administration. These were people already in harms way he's bashing.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

Why would Romney criticize statements made by US embassy personnel at a time when those very people are in harm's way? Why would he speak before he has the facts, and get basic facts wrong in a sensitive and explosive situation?

One hell of a SMH moment here. This guy has zero foreign policy and diplomacy skills. But today really isn't about his pitiful ass.

Romney is a fuckiing idiot who I would not trust to run my neice's lemonade stand for fear he would turn it into a hazmat site.

[Gattigap]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Your article says it's a film, not a book, and what is this apology bullshit?

Ezra Klein:

The Romney campaign isn’t run by amateurs. They knew this statement was incendiary. And, presumably, they knew it was wrong. It conflates a statement from a staffer in the Egyptian Embassy, who was trying to calm a potential mob, with the Obama administration. It conflates unrest in Egypt with the murder of American diplomat, among others, in Libya. And it accuses the Obama administration of something that they not only didn’t do, but that would have been horrific of them to do: To sympathize with terrorists who had just murdered one of their ambassadors.

The backlash has been brutal. The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg called Romney’s statement a “slander.” Time’s Mark Halperin tweeted that it was the “most craven+ill-advised move of ’12.” Josh Marshall wrote that it was “reminiscent of John McCain’s rash call four years ago to cancel the presidential debates and the campaign itself to deal with the unfolding economic crisis.”

Romney’s comments were, to be sure, unusually noxious and indecent. But this is also what happens when campaigns get desperate. Like a gambler who’s already lost too much, they begin taking risks in the hope of making it all back. And then, more often than not, they pay the price.

I don't think Romney's campaign is stupid. But I'm coming to the conclusion that they think I am. You've got to be fucking kidding me.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

There were twitter postings, including an attached statement, from the Embassy at a point when the demonstrations were gathering that were later deleted - that is what Romney attacked as the response of the administration. These were people already in harms way he's bashing.

It's amazing to watch someone turn into such a complete fuckhead.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

It's amazing to watch someone turn into such a complete fuckhead.

welcome to what the few of us who don't have you on ignore saw over the last 5 years.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Gattigap

Ezra Klein:



I don't think Romney's campaign is stupid. But I'm coming to the conclusion that they think I am. You've got to be fucking kidding me.

I disagree with your first conclusion. That's a large part of why they think you're stupid.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

It's amazing to watch someone turn into such a complete fuckhead.

Are you sure you're not just getting to know him better?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

There were twitter postings, including an attached statement, from the Embassy at a point when the demonstrations were gathering that were later deleted - that is what Romney attacked as the response of the administration. These were people already in harms way he's bashing.

Romney's statement falsely suggested that the embassy was reacting to the demonstrations/violence rather making statements earlier in the day.

eta: stp/Gatti

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Romney's statement falsely suggested that the embassy was reacting to the demonstrations/violence rather making statements earlier in the day.

eta: stp/Gatti

I'm not even going to engage in this, because the Mohammad cartoons "discussion" showed you just don't believe in free speech. But I will say the embassy criticizing whatever this film is BEFORE the protests strikes me as worse as doing it to chill some maniacs outside the gate.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

I'm not even going to engage in this, because the Mohammad cartoons "discussion" showed you just don't believe in free speech.

I'm not sure what loony views you're attributing to me, and I do "believe in free speech," whatever that means.

But I will say the embassy criticizing whatever this film is BEFORE the protests strikes me as worse as doing it to chill some maniacs outside the gate.

Here's what the embassy said:

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims - as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.

What's wrong with that?

eta:

Just saw this:

One staffer at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo was responsible for the statement and tweets Tuesday that have become grist for the presidential campaign, and that staffer ignored explicit State Department instructions not to issue the statement, one U.S. officials close to the issue told The Cable.

Two additional administration officials confirmed the details of this account when contacted late Wednesday by The Cable.

I have a good friend who has had that job (albeit not in Egypt), and it's a tough one.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

I

What's wrong with that?

eta:

Just saw this:



I have a good friend who has had that job (albeit not in Egypt), and it's a tough one.

there's is something wrong with it, or there isn't? can't reply until you pick a side. Maybe you should delete your post?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

there's is something wrong with it, or there isn't? can't reply until you pick a side. Maybe you should delete your post?

You can't form a view until you know what I say so you can disagree?

I don't disagree with the statement on its face, but that doesn't mean it was a wise thing to put out in that situation. I don't have strong feelings about it: It doesn't seem obviously wrong to me, and I'm not inclined to second-guess a State Dept. staffer who is doing his best to serve the country under sub-optimal circumstances.

But you're the one who criticized it, so I asked you what was wrong with it.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

You can't form a view until you know what I say so you can disagree?

I don't disagree with the statement on its face, but that doesn't mean it was a wise thing to put out in that situation. I don't have strong feelings about it: It doesn't seem obviously wrong to me, and I'm not inclined to second-guess a State Dept. staffer who is doing his best to serve the country under sub-optimal circumstances.

But you're the one who criticized it, so I asked you what was wrong with it.

I have said twice now that I am not comfortable with the Government criticizing a particular piece of expression, I am fine with it saying "we are against anti-islam or any other religious speech." But to criticize a particular piece reminds me of when Judges said they can tell obscenity when they see it. Are you sure there is nothing at all redeeming in whatever this movie was? Was there a cooling of the crowd since our embassy criticized the movie?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

I have said twice now that I am not comfortable with the Government criticizing a particular piece of expression, I am fine with it saying "we are against anti-islam or any other religious speech." But to criticize a particular piece reminds me of when Judges said they can tell obscenity when they see it. Are you sure there is nothing at all redeeming in whatever this movie was? Was there a cooling of the crowd since our embassy criticized the movie?

The difference between what the Cairo staffer tweeted and what the Supreme Court said is that the former was commentary and the latter was a ban. I don't know that there's nothing redeeming in the movie, but anyone who wants to find out can watch it. The staffer's tweet didn't change that.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

The difference between what the Cairo staffer tweeted and what the Supreme Court said is that the former was commentary and the latter was a ban. I don't know that there's nothing redeeming in the movie, but anyone who wants to find out can watch it. The staffer's tweet didn't change that.

actually they were both dicta, but only one of the two had any business publishing dicta.