Charles Krauthammer Runs Out Of Adjectives Slamming Romney's 'Olympics' Gaffe

Chalk up Charles Krauthammer as an exception to the gang of Fox News clean-up crew disappearing or doing their best to spin Mitt Romney's gaffe-filled visit to England. OK, so Krauthammer only focused on Romney's comments about the Olympics - and left out the gaffe about meeting the head of MI6 and seeming to forget the name of Labour Leader Ed Miliband. Still, it was a stunning rebuke, especially on Fox.

On Special Report today, "Objective host" Bret Baier quickly moved into spin mode about Romney's Olympics remarks questioning whether London is ready. "He was probably answering that from someone who headed up an Olympics games. And he was answering truthfully. There are concerns about all those things he mentioned." However, diplomatically... it didn't sit too well."

Krauthammer, however didn't mince words. He said Romney's comments were, "unbelievable, it's beyond human understanding, it's incomprehensible - I'm out of adjectives." According to Krauthammer, Obama has done so many things to damage the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. that all Romney had to do was show up and "say nothing," that his very presence would be a rebuke to Obama. Krauthammer added, "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.”

Naturally, "objective" Baier jumped in to defend Romney. "In his defense, he was probably answering... as the head of the Olympics and saying, 'potential problems' but later on came out and said, 'Listen,' it all will work out and tried to walk that statement back." Baier never explained why he thought Romney was "probably" speaking as an Olympics head and not as a politician - which is the whole point of his trip.

Mary Katharine Ham, another panelist, agreed. Sort of. "Right. If you're as fair to him as possible, you can point out, 'Look, he's looking at this from a technical point of view and he probably got a little too technical with it." But even Ham had to note the (no pun intended) ham-handedness of Romney's response. "The question was an invitation to give a giant smooch to the British people and British leadership and he should have taken (NBC interviewer) Brian Williams up on that... It matters in just sort of marking off the boxes as you go... That is not where you want to be, getting a tart rejoinder by the conservative PM."

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Showing 15 reactions

Ellen commented 2012-07-28 09:41:33 -0400 · Flag

RL – I’m hardly a fan of Krauthammer’s but I think he’s a serious guy with integrity. Also, are you aware that he’s a paraplegic? While we can certainly criticize anything he says, I think he deserves respect and not making fun of how he looks.

mj - the same one commented 2012-07-27 18:36:30 -0400 · Flag

@Joseph West: “Wasnât the Salt Lake City Olympics game a WINTER Olympics? A contest which hosts fewer countries with fewer athletes competing in fewer games?”

Yes — and, according to the British PM, it was held “in the middle of nowhere” . . .

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsoutofcontext/54565672-64/romney-games-cameron-lake.html.csp#disqus_thread

@Visitor 55: “I wish these FoxGOPTV assholes would provide proof that President Obama has damaged the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K.”

If I had to guess, I’d say it had something to do with the Churchill Bust that was returned to the UK at the end of Dumbya’s term — you know, the one that was THEIR property.

Although, in their haste to criticize, Fox seems to be unaware of this fact . . . or, of the fact that there are TWO Churchill busts — one of which resides in . . . drumroll . . . the White House:

White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer blasted back Friday, saying the statue remains in the White House, but has moved positions to a hallway outside the Treaty Room, in the presidentâs residence.
In a blog post on the White Houseâs website, Pfeiffer included an official White House photo of Obama viewing the bust with British Prime Minister David Cameron during a visit in 2010.
âHopefully this clears things up a bit and prevents folks from making this ridiculous claim again,â Pfeiffer wrote.
But late Friday, British Embassy Spokesman James Barbour said there were actually two busts of Churchill, both by artist Sir Jacob Epstein.
The one that was loaned to the George W. Bush administration in 2001 was returned after Bush left office and now resides at the British ambassadorâs residence in Washington.
A second bust, which is part of the White Houseâs own art collection, is displayed in the White House. It is that bust which Obama is pictured looking at with Cameron in 2010.

http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2012/07/27/yes-mitt-the-churchill-bust-is-in-the-white-house-right-now/

As Paddy at TPC says: “So Mittens doesnât have to import the ugly thing back to the U.S. if he wins (shudder), just walk down the hall and move it himself.”

.

Jack Coglin commented 2012-07-27 16:09:39 -0400 · Flag

Perhaps the London SUN newpaper’s term, “Mitt the Twitt”, is a tad to British-sounding, but I like it. Let’s see if we catch that catchy phrase on Fox.

Joseph West commented 2012-07-27 16:05:52 -0400 · Flag

Something that just occured to me about Mitt’s little Olympics gaffe: Wasn’t the Salt Lake City Olympics game a WINTER Olympics? A contest which hosts fewer countries with fewer athletes competing in fewer games? And Romney STILL needed government money to help make it possible. (Oh, and on that, I remember reading where someone pointed out that Romney—I want to say during that Games’ opening ceremonies or just prior to the Games—spoke to the athletes and noted how none of them had gotten there without help from others. Basically, the SAME speech that Obama gave about business—the speech that the right-wing has gone bonkers over.)

scooter commented 2012-07-27 15:14:40 -0400 · Flag

Cons eating their own – delicious to watch.

truman commented 2012-07-27 14:24:05 -0400 · Flag

@RL. Some say that Kraphamsters is the result of a mortician’s botched embalming job.

mlp ! commented 2012-07-27 12:26:36 -0400 · Flag

The cries of “Bomb England!!!” are imminent from the cretins of Fox Nation.

Lakeview Greg commented 2012-07-27 11:25:28 -0400 · Flag

Pretty easy to see Mittens isn’t ready. For anything.

R L commented 2012-07-27 11:07:30 -0400 · Flag

ahh you got to love mr Krauthammer, a guy, by comparison, who makes the dead look like Olympic gymnasts

doors17 commented 2012-07-27 09:37:51 -0400 · Flag

First off to all of our friends in Great Britain, best of luck to you and Iâm fully confident that youâll host a successful Olympics. As someone who is from Los Angeles who hosted the 1984 games, itâs a great experience and a lot fun. I hope youâll enjoy every minute.

Since Fox and the right here in the States make giving apologies a sin I donât except youâll get one from Mitt. At least you now know what we Americans have to put up with on a daily basis and weâre really not exaggerating.

truman commented 2012-07-27 08:52:28 -0400 · Flag

Etch-A-Sketch is a clumsy clown when he leaves his comfort zone of Fux Noise infomercials. If he can’t adequately answer a simple question about the London Olympics, what disasters await when he arrives in Israel? Will he try to stir up a few more wars against the Muslim world?

Visitor 55 commented 2012-07-27 08:15:08 -0400 · Flag

According to Krauthammer, Obama has done so many things to damage the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. …,"

I wish these FoxGOPTV assholes would provide proof that President Obama has damaged the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. The Undertaker is lying again. I’ve asked many times and no neocon/teabagger has been able to give an honest answer.

Margarita commented 2012-07-27 06:49:48 -0400 · Flag

Daily Mail headline: Romney’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in London
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179604/2012-Olympics-Mitt-Romneys-Terrible-Horrible-No-Good-Very-Bad-Day-London.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

A blogger on the Guardian: âCome on. We needed this. Itâs a little comic relief. Kind of like Mr. Bean, only heâs an American.â

The Independent calls it “Romneyshambles.”

From a Spectator blog: “Romney does not enjoy a strong reputation when it comes to foreign policy, and his undiplomatic behaviour today has done little to change that.”

Winning British hearts and minds big-time, isn’t he?

Bill Friday commented 2012-07-27 02:34:01 -0400 · Flag

Fox started the rehab tonight. They trotted out John Bolton to say what a great start Mittens had on his “State visit” to Britain! lol