Mitt Romney Is Not Fit to Be Commander in Chief

The fact that Mitt Romney didn't even mention Afghanistan in his convention speech proves he doesn't have what it takes to be commander in chief.

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Many of us were shocked, including a lot of Republicans, when Mitt Romney did not reference the troops nor Afghanistan in his speech at the Republican National Convention. Now aids in his camp will say Mitt wanted to focus on the economy; but that doesn't seem to sit well with most, even in GOP land. After all, the military is normally part of the Republican package.

There are those close to the Romney campaign that said he was advised to visit Afghanistan and talk to commanders while he made his world tour visiting England, Poland, and Israel at the time of the Olympics. After all, Mitt Romney's not interviewing to be the CEO of a financial company like Bain Capitol, nor is he looking to be elected the governor of a state like Massachusetts; he is vying for the title commander in chief, so how can he ignore the military, Afghanistan, and other issues of national security?


And one would think Mitt would redeem himself in the days since the convention has passed. But he has not. He still has avoided any opportunity to repair the damage from that omission. On Saturday, Romney sat down with Bret Baier of Fox News and said, in response to a question about this omission:

I only regret you're repeating it day in, day out. [Laughter] … When you give a speech, you don't go through a laundry list. You talk about the things that you think are important and I describe, in my speech, my commitment to a strong military.

And on Sunday, on NBC's Meet the Press he stated:

I find it interesting that people are curious about mentioning words in a speech as opposed to policy ... I have some differences on policy with the president. I happen to think those are more important than what word I mention in each speech.

[ See a collection of political cartoons on Mitt Romney.]

Well Romney, it's going to be repeated, especially by the Democrats, and it will be day in and day out for the remaining nine weeks until this presidential election. National security and Romney's lack of knowledge on this issue is not a laughing matter. When you addressed the Republican convention, you did go through a laundry list, as did Obama, who managed to tick each box needed to address each issue and each group's concerns within the party. Doesn't Romney feel that the military, our troops being in our longest war to date in Afghanistan, and national security are issues that are "important?"

And when did he describe in his speech his "commitment to a strong military?" Guess I missed that one—as did the rest of America. And as far as Romney finding it interesting that people are concerned about the words a politician uses, he better hang on if he wants to sit in the oval office and call it his for four years. It's not the "word" people are concerned with, it's the entire military and war we are involved with and matters of national security that Romney omitted in his speech and continues to avoid discussing.


And with the upcoming debates upon us, Romney better do his homework—especially with regards to national security issues—because the president will be ready and the president will beat Mitt's butt on that issue if Romney isn't prepared. (Of course I as a Democrat have my fingers crossed on that one.)

Nearly 40,000 people tweeted when the president tore apart Mitt Romney for saying Russia rather than al Qaeda was our enemy; for not being willing to work with China; and for offending our closest ally, the United Kingdom, during the Olympics.

And now with the attacks in Libya and Egypt, and the death of an American ambassador, rather than work toward a solution to this problem, former Governor Romney chooses to politicize the death of an American ambassador. Romney attacked the Obama administration's response to the incidents in Libya and Egypt. In a statement he released at 10:24 p.m. Tuesday night, he said, "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."

[ See editorial cartoons about the turmoil in the Middle East.]

And that, we know, is a lie. At 10:10 p.m. the Obama administration disavowed the statement by the U.S. embassy in Cairo. At 10:44 p.m. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. And Wednesday Obama campaign Press Secretary Ben LaBolt responded, "We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Governor Romney would choose to launch a political attack."

If Mitt Romney continues to ignore discussing our military, the war in Afghanistan, and national security issues, and attacks the current administration, using an ambassador's death for his own political gain and to further divide our nation, is he truly fit to be commander in chief? Come November, the voters will answer that question.