The International Equestrian Federation defines the Olympic sport of dressage as “the highest expression of horse training.” The definition continues, “At the peak of a dressage horse’s gymnastic development, the horse will respond smoothly to a skilled rider’s minimal aids. The rider will be relaxed and appear effort-free while the horse willingly performs the requested movement.”
Ann Romney, whose dressage horse Rafalca is entered in the London Olympics is hopeful the horse’s rider Jan Ebeling will be skilled, relaxed and effort-free as the tandem goes for the gold.
However, her husband Willard Mitt Romney’s international sojourn from the Olympics in London, to Israel and later Poland was the antithesis of “skilled” “relaxed” and “effort free.”
During six gaffe-filled days, Romney’s performance on the world stage ranged from inexplicable to catastrophic.
In reviewing Romney’s anything-but-excellent international adventure it seems totally appropriate to start at the end and work to the beginning.
In Poland, as Romney left the site of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw – hallowed ground for the Polish people and walked toward his motorcade – Rick Gorka, Romney’s traveling press secretary shouted, “kiss my a**,” and “shove it,” at reporters as they peppered Romney with questions.
The exchange went something like this:
“Governor Romney do you feel that your gaffes have overshadowed your foreign trip,” yelled one reporter. Another reporter asked if Romney had a response to Palestinians offended by his suggestion that Jewish culture was superior to Palestinian culture (we’ll get to that little gem shortly).
At that point Gorka barked, “Show some respect,” to the reporter, which prompted another reporter to complain that Romney had not been allowed to answer any questions from reporters. And that’s when Gorka went off.
“Kiss my a**, this is a holy site for the Polish people, show some respect,” he snarled seemingly unaware of his incongruous statement. He later told Politico’s Jonathan Martin, “Shove it.” About a half-hour after his tirade Gorka allegedly called reporters and apologized.
However, Romney has not apologized to Palestinians he offended during his visit to Israel. During a breakfast fundraiser in front of about four-dozen donors at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem Romney suggested cultural differences may be at the root of why Israelis were more economically successful than Palestinians.
“Culture makes all the difference,” Romney said during the meeting. “And as I come here and I look out over the city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things.”
Romney added, “As you come here and you see the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita, for instance, in Israel which is about $21,000, and compare that with the GDP per capita just across the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority, which is more like $10,000 per capita, you notice such a dramatically stark difference in the economic vitality.”
Not only was Romney’s hypothesis dubious at best, some suggested his statements were much more insidious.
“It is a racist statement and this man doesn’t realize that the Palestinian economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation,” said Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority during an interview with the Associated Press.
“It seems to me this man lacks information, knowledge, vision and understanding of this region and its people,” Erekat added.
Yet, perhaps the most inexplicable of several head-scratching moments during Romney’s trip occurred on day one in London, the site of the Olympics. Surely this was the moment Romney and his team savored most; when the man who saved the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics from financial ruin would have his chance to speak authoritatively about one of his most sparkling moments as a public servant.
Instead, during an interview with NBC’s Brian Williams, Romney sparked a media firestorm – which was never fully extinguished – when he seemed to cast doubt about London’s preparedness for the Olympic Games. Romney’s tepid analysis of London’s preparations for the Olympics triggered an avalanche of negative tabloid headlines and raised the ire of everyone from Prime Minister David Cameron to the London Mayor Boris Johnson.
This six-day, three country excursion was supposed to be Romney’s big chance to look presidential and by most objective accounts the former Massachusetts governor failed miserably.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel – President Obama’s former chief of staff and a decidedly subjective observer – summed up Romney’s international fiasco in comment.
“Mitt Romney not ready for Oval Office, has made a mess of being a tourist.”
