(The Root) — So this happened.
From CBS News:
A movie attacking Islam's prophet Muhammad sparked assaults on U.S. diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt on Tuesday. A Libyan security official reported an American was shot to death as protesters burned the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, and in Cairo, protesters scaled the walls of the U.S. embassy walls and replaced an American flag with an Islamic banner.
Then …
From the U.S. Embassy in Cairo:
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.
Then …
From Reuters:
"I'm outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi," Romney said in a statement.
"It's disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks," he said.
Then …
From the Washington Post:
U.S. Ambassador to Libya John Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed Tuesday in an assault on the American consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi, the White House said.
So Mitt Romney wanted to make President Obama look bad by attacking an unapproved statement that didn't come from President Obama. A statement that wasn't wrong in its message; it just didn't condemn the attacks as Romney thought it should. Forget the fact that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released a statement doing just that at the same time Romney was weighing in. So Romney — before he knows an ambassador is dead, thereby highlighting the crassness of this move — criticizes Obama.
As of this morning, the Romney campaign says it stands by its critique. In the press conference that followed, Romney said that the White House stood by the Cairo Embassy statement — then within two sentences said the White House tried to distance itself. Romney claims that the embassy statement apologizes for American ideals. So attacking religious beliefs is an American ideal now, Mr. Romney? I thought you'd be especially against that.
The Republican nominee for president tried to politicize attacks on Americans, as opposed to standing with his president and country. Romney thought it best to continue with his campaign's perpetual "othering" of President Obama. The underlying messages behind his comments are clear: Obama sympathizes with Muslims. He's apologizing for America. This is why he's a problem. Yet Mr. Romney couldn't wait 12 hours to find out exactly what happened before stepping in the proverbial international poop.
While taking questions at the press conference this morning, he threw incredible amounts of double talk about what actually happened, all while continually pushing the "Obama apologizes" narrative. With so much happening across the world, we as a nation need more than ever to be diplomatic and to think first and not get froggy simply because it might benefit us in the immediate future.
I don't know about you, but I can't wait for Mitt Romney to be the leader of the free world.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at TWIB.FM and subscribe on iTunes. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at 1:30 p.m. EST at TWIB.FM and watch at TV.TWIB.ME/LIVE. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.