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LeftishBrit

(41,212 posts) Mon Nov 5, 2012, 10:03 AM Nov 2012

Tory Minister Iain Duncan-Smith hits out at 'appalling demonisation' of Mitt Romney in the UK media

...In a break from the usual diplomatic conventions, Mr Duncan Smith appeared last night to take sides in the US presidential election by making comments on Mitt Romney's business credentials. ...

Duncan Smith also pointed out that under Barack Obama the US deficit had “gone from something like 4-500 billion dollars to three or so trillion dollars”, and suggested the superpower's economy was stagnating. ...

“The demonisation of Mitt Romney over here has been appalling really,” the Work and Pensions Secretary told BBC Radio 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics.

“He may have faults. All politicians have faults. But this is a guy who ran a state very well.

“He got their debts and deficit down. He's turned around businesses. Whatever else you may say about him, he is not stupid, and he is made out to be stupid over here.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-minister-iain-duncan-smith-hits-out-at-appalling-demonisation-of-mitt-romney-in-the-uk-media-8281728.html

This is disgusting on so many grounds. Firstly, it's another example of 'how to lose the election': most Brits who have any interest in American politics at all prefer Obama to Romney. Secondly, for a sitting British Cabinet Minister to recommend the defeat of the incumbent American president less than two days before the election is highly undiplomatic - if Obama wins, this will not do the British government much good. Thirdly, it just shows how repulsive IDS' attitudes are.

Even the Daily Mail's report of this implies a criticism of IDS's lack of 'impartiality'.

And BTW everyone I know from Massachusetts says that Romney was a dreadful governor. And he didn't even bother running for a second term because he knew he'd lose by a mile.

9 replies

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Tory Minister Iain Duncan-Smith hits out at 'appalling demonisation' of Mitt Romney in the UK media (Original Post) LeftishBrit Nov 2012 OP

But then again Turbineguy Nov 2012 #1

It certainly clears up any doubt... oldironside Nov 2012 #2

Heh heh. He's certainly noisy, recently. Ghost Dog Nov 2012 #4

The UK media has bent over backwards to be fair to Romney Anarcho-Socialist Nov 2012 #3

I wonder how the UK media would deal with a British party leader who was a Mormon? non sociopath skin Nov 2012 #5

No chance of a cup of tea and a digestive biscuit at the Whitehouse if Romney gets in fedsron2us Nov 2012 #6

Interesting question. tjwmason Nov 2012 #7

I don't have any problem with Romney being a Mormon T_i_B Nov 2012 #8

He's most likely thinking of his own time as party leader T_i_B Nov 2012 #9

Turbineguy

(37,368 posts)

1. But then again

Reply to LeftishBrit (Original post)

Mon Nov 5, 2012, 12:55 PM

Nov 2012

Romney is a pretty appalling guy.

oldironside

(1,248 posts)

2. It certainly clears up any doubt...

Reply to LeftishBrit (Original post)

Mon Nov 5, 2012, 01:06 PM

Nov 2012

... as to why IDS was such an appalling Tory leader. He has all the political nouse of an unpleasant skin rash, with none of the charm.

Ghost Dog

(16,881 posts)

4. Heh heh. He's certainly noisy, recently.

Reply to oldironside (Reply #2)

Mon Nov 5, 2012, 04:39 PM

Nov 2012

I've noticed from here. Just received a delivery of contraband Adderall, or something, has he?
Did you notice this one the other day?: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1116&pid=25160

Anarcho-Socialist

(9,601 posts)

3. The UK media has bent over backwards to be fair to Romney

Reply to LeftishBrit (Original post)

Mon Nov 5, 2012, 01:57 PM

Nov 2012

Especially the television news.

I wonder if IDS has any comment on the appalling treatment of Foot, Kinnock and Gordon Brown by the UK press when these men were Labour leaders?

non sociopath skin

(4,972 posts)

5. I wonder how the UK media would deal with a British party leader who was a Mormon?

Reply to Anarcho-Socialist (Reply #3)

Mon Nov 5, 2012, 04:45 PM

Nov 2012

One of the many problems I have with Romney is his religion.

I find it quite scary that the most powerful country in the world might be led by an adherent to a "faith" which is as least as outlandish as scientology in its beliefs.

The Skin

fedsron2us

(2,863 posts)

6. No chance of a cup of tea and a digestive biscuit at the Whitehouse if Romney gets in

Reply to non sociopath skin (Reply #5)

Mon Nov 5, 2012, 07:23 PM

Nov 2012

That alone would have him classed as weird by most Brits.

tjwmason

(14,819 posts)

7. Interesting question.

Reply to non sociopath skin (Reply #5)

Tue Nov 6, 2012, 03:40 PM

Nov 2012

The media aren't quite sure how to deal with any religion (cf. the treatment of Blair's Christianity and eventual reception into the Catholic Church).

I'm not sure that it would get much coverage as a British equivalent of Romney wouldn't be ramming his beliefs in our faces...whereas the cousins seem to be much happier to wear their hearts in their sleeves in this regard.

I was about to say that no particular comment was made about I.D.S. being a Catholic or Michael Howard being Jewish...but that's probably because nobody expected either of them to get near power. Whether a more 'outlandish' religion would bring out the commentary is a very interesting thought to ponder.

T_i_B

(14,749 posts)

8. I don't have any problem with Romney being a Mormon

Reply to non sociopath skin (Reply #5)

Wed Nov 7, 2012, 02:51 AM

Nov 2012

Even though I find the religion itself somewhat odd, in my experience Mormons are actually very nice people.

It's everything else about Mitt Romney that I find repellent!

T_i_B

(14,749 posts)

9. He's most likely thinking of his own time as party leader

Reply to Anarcho-Socialist (Reply #3)

Wed Nov 7, 2012, 02:53 AM

Nov 2012

Although it wasn't media vilification that did for him, it was his own backbenchers lack of confidence in his leadership.

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