When former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee sharply criticized President Bush’s foreign policy — calling it indicative of an “arrogant bunker mentality” — no one jumped to the administration’s defense more quickly than former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. “That’s an insult to the President and Mike Huckabee should apologize to the President,” he said on NBC’s Meet the Press.
Yesterday though, Reuters reported that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was now “distancing himself from his party’s unpopular president,” noting his criticisms of the Bush administration’s Iraq mismanagement at an event in Iowa:
“I think we did a less than effective job in managing the conflict following the collapse of Saddam Hussein,” the former Massachusetts governor said at a news conference. “I think we were under prepared for what occurred, understaffed, under planned, and, in some respects, under managed.“
Romney’s campaign, however, was unwilling to relinquish its spot as the Bush administration’s biggest defender. It claimed that calling Bush “arrogant” is worse than calling him a bad manager. Within an hour after the Reuters story was put out, the campaign issued a press release declaring that Romney remains a “strong supporter of the mission in Iraq”:

In the past, Romney has attempted to distance himself from the President. But more recently, Romney has fully embraced the Bush administration, recently saying of Bush: “I believe that the president has acted in good faith and out of a desire to protect this country to do everything in his power to keep America safe.”
Mitt Flop!
-GSD
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:10 pmPoor Mittsy,
All revved up & no one to vote for him while Huckabible is surging.
Maybe if you set your sights on VP, Mitt?
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:11 pmdum dum dum dum dum (southpark)
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:13 pmLooks like someone finally showed Bush’s approval rating to Mitt.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:17 pmOff topic, but worth a read:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/29715
Here’s an excerpt, which fits our poster Frank to a tee:
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Mitt flip-flopped on Bush Bashing.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:21 pmHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Romeny: “And if you don’t like what I said,and are not going to vote for me, then go Sucka Bee……”
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:24 pmWow. He liked Bush before he hated him.
Who knew??
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:24 pmBris- I took special note of this part of the article:
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:28 pmIn the Bush era, certain words have simply been sidelined. Sovereignty, for instance. If, in principle, you can kidnap anyone, anywhere, and transport that person into a ghost existence anywhere else, then national sovereignty essentially no longer has significance. This is one meaning of “globalization” in the twenty-first century. On Planet Bush, only one nation remains “sovereign,” and that’s the United States of America.
Can this one go under ‘Flip flop’ ?!
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:28 pmBecause Republicans love a candidate that stands for nothing.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:30 pmCan you say LOSER???
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:30 pmI’m saddened that Chris Dodd and Joe Biden have been sidelined.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:35 pmOK Mitt why don’t you tell us more about your experience keeping the Olympics safe from terrorists *YAWN* that will get you votes too, dipshit. Wait just keep throwing more of your own money in there, eventually it will work.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:38 pmThis race will come down to who’s left after all the candidates are done imploding. Huckabee, Romney, and Giuliani are still flip-flopping like mad to find out what plays to middle America best, Hillary continues to say whatever she thinks people want to hear, Fred Thompson still looks like he was woken up from a nap and told to go out and campaign, and we are still looking for a real breakout candidate from either party.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 pmMitt Flop is nothing more than a leftover “snake oil salesman”. He doesn’t have a chance in this game.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 pmMiss Molly: What a shame and a sham that the Repukes have no one with intelligence, credibility, and experience! McInsane’s already imploded along with Giuliani following just a sneak peak at what’s in his closet of horrors when Mayor of New York. Dinkelberry’s mid-implosion due to his lack of basic intelligence and Romney’s as slick as a snake. None of these charlatans can, all combined, equal one of the Democratic candidates – actually, none of these guys would even be qualified to shine their shoes, truth be known.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:41 pmThose 24 percenters (Repukes) will soon all be in mourning over the total decimation of their Grand Old Party of Perverts.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:42 pmleftcoast: It saddens me too because Dodd and Biden are two very intelligent men unafraid to speak truth to power – which is precisely why they’re being sidelined; however, imagine a ticket or a cabinet which contains these two great patriots – along with Kucinich – wow!
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:43 pmBrise: we all know that Bush’s war on terror was totally fabricated and created by the neofascists in order to coup this democracy and turn it into fascism. The war on terror, aka 911, is the wet dream of these twisted, psychiatrically compromised members of PNAC, Federalist Society, etc. It’s pure fiction and they’ve managed to bring it, like the good producer in Wag the Dog, into a faux version of reality.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:46 pmSmoke & Mirrors and Hollywood tricks and schemes peppered with some good public relations experts have become the prescription for disaster in this country. Bush will go down in history as the individual responsible for the demise of the US.
#20 This “mission business” reminds me of the Abbott and Costello classic “who’s on first”. What is the mission? What mission? How can you have a mission without a goal? What goal? How can you have a goal without a war? What war? How can you have a war without a human enemy? What human enemy? Would that be the boogeyman, Osama, perchance?? Oh him….last we heard he was employed by our very own CIA to help drive the Russians from Afghanistan?? Oh him?? Yes, the him we trained to be our future boogeyman….
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:48 pmThe history of the Bush Administration reads like the script of a good political thriller; the sad part is that these treasonous individuals actually pulled it all off right before our very eyes. Hiding in plain sight?? They counted on it. American incredulity?? That was there catalyst.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:49 pmthey’re catalyst….mea culpa.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:50 pmas in they are the catalyst…..they’re the enemy within.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:50 pm“Romney Labels Bush A Bad Manager After Condemning Others For Calling Bush ‘Arrogant’ ”
So now the Mittster is throwing the Hot Air-in-Chief under the bus. I guess the Bush/Mittster lovefest is over. And interesting promo: “A Strong Supporter of the the Mission in Iraq.” Now that’s a joke. Here is a draft dodging Presidential candidate criticizing the Draft Dodger-in-chief on foreign policy. Both knuckleheads are two of a kind.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:55 pmBelow “The Romney Record” says:
A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE MISSION IN IRAQ
…and walking away later would represent grave risks to the United States and the world…
Why do these nutjobs lump us together with their Imperial actions?
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:00 pm…and walking away later would represent grave risks to the United States and the world…
Why do these nutjobs lump us together with their Imperial actions?
Comment by Juan C. — January 2, 2008 @ 2:00 pm
For that matter, why separate the United States? If something poses a grave risk to the entire world, doesn’t it also pose a grave risk to the United States by pure syllogism?
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:03 pmFor that matter, why separate the United States? If something poses a grave risk to the entire world, doesn’t it also pose a grave risk to the United States by pure syllogism?
Comment by toasterhead
Fine, as everybody in the world has the US average income.
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:11 pmCome on! One of the many reasons Bush IS a “bad manager” IS because of his “arrogance”. Not only does Bush have a superior attitude toward other world leaders, his own Generals, the American Congress and the American people, he IS an overbearing bully who can’t take a legitimate critical question without looking on the verge of exploding in a petulant rage. His arrogance in calling himself “The Decider” and “The Commander Guy” is clearly unquestionable. The man’s mind is closed and unappreciative of differing opinions to the point of labeling his dissenters as traitors to their country. If that isn’t hegemony of the first order, what is? There are many reasons why Bush is a “bad manager” and his sin of false pride is indisputably one of them. How effective a manager is Romney if he can’t see or state what is obvious to millions of people throughtout the world?
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:13 pmhe’s still politic-ing…
“I think we did a less than effective job…” – the mitt
he said “we”… not “he”, or “they”…
how noble…
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:14 pmRomney remains a clueless dick.
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:26 pmThe Dems have too many good candidates — the Repugs have not one who is worthy of being president. Romney is a plastic boy-doll; one where you can flip the switch on the back and he will recite pat phrases regardless of the contradiction of the previous comment.
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:31 pmIt is called “Flippin’ Willard.”
Huckleberry is a Jesus freak. (Kucinich was ridiculed for saying he once saw an unidentified object in the sky) Huckleberry gets messages from his object in the sky – not unlike Dubya, who believes God told him to go to war.
Giuliani is an opportunistic liar.
McCain is just too old and has lost his ability to think straight – like Faust, he sold his soul to evil incarnate, George Bush.
Ron Paul’s “logic” loses all rationale when you realize what he advocates for government.
Thompson is simply a joke.
Well said, Marie.
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:41 pmSo which stupid republican will win the Iowa caucus? Is there any Republican running for president that shows evidence of intelligence? I’m searching and haven’t found one yet.
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:43 pmMarie – excellent description of the Republican candidates. You are right on target.
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:54 pmHey Mittens! Can you smell the desperation? Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you!
January 2nd, 2008 at 2:56 pmOh, and don’t look forward, everybody else is ahead of you!
Miss Molly: What a shame and a sham that the Repukes have no one with intelligence, credibility, and experience! McInsane’s already imploded along with Giuliani following just a sneak peak at what’s in his closet of horrors when Mayor of New York. Dinkelberry’s mid-implosion due to his lack of basic intelligence and Romney’s as slick as a snake. None of these charlatans can, all combined, equal one of the Democratic candidates – actually, none of these guys would even be qualified to shine their shoes, truth be known.
Comment by Veritas
Unfortunately, once Huck, Mitt and Rudy have completely flushed their campaigns down the toilet, all that will be left is McInsane. That’s very scary.
January 2nd, 2008 at 3:04 pmA strong supporter of the mission in Iraq! Whatever the mission happens to be today.
January 2nd, 2008 at 3:05 pmThere is something wrong with a party that can’t field a candidate unless they can pass themselves off as a religious fanatic.
January 2nd, 2008 at 3:11 pmMitt sure has his finger on the pulse of America! Uh, Mitt, the pulse is on the wrist, not in your pocket.
January 2nd, 2008 at 3:27 pmI’m saddened that Chris Dodd and Joe Biden have been sidelined.
Comment by leftcoast — January 2, 2008 @ 1:35 pm
I am too, but I’d like to see Dodd as Majority Senate leader and Biden as Secretry of State in the Democratic administration.
January 2nd, 2008 at 4:34 pm****OBAMA ALERT****
Obama to hire LOBBYIST, former South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges, to be a national co-chair for his campaign. I thought Obama said he was against the lobbyists. LOL!
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/02/544600.aspx
January 2nd, 2008 at 6:31 pmRomney is on the war path after those militant gays in the White House! LOL!
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:26 amOn the other side of the aisle, it looks like the good ol’ boys have struck a deal to tell their supporters to vote for Obama if they don’t get the required 15% in the caucus. Why, so they can try to remain in the race, knowing that a Clinton victory/strong showing in Iowa would force them to quit the race. Some things will never change.
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:59 amLooks like Huck is going to finish #1 in Iowa. Despite Romney spending millions and millions, his message just doesn’t add up to most Iowans.
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:01 amthis guy is a tool.
January 3rd, 2008 at 11:18 amSee/share HUNDREDS of debate videos! Find whatever you want! Be politically omnipotent!!
http://debates.redlasso.com/dbt/
January 8th, 2008 at 6:12 pm