On the Eve of the Olympics, Mitt Romney Brings Foot-in-Mouth Infection to London

Twenty-four hours after a Romney staffer extended the hand of Anglo-Saxon (white) peace, love and understanding to Britain via a sympathetic conservative national newspaper, Mitt Romney, himself, inadvertantly spat on that hand.

Even after the Romney camp tried to backtrack their staffers candid comments to the Torygraph, the paper, itself, didn't offer to retract anything the staffer said - which means that he said it.

But then Mitt allowed himself to be interviewed by Brian Williams, abroad, in London for the NBC Nightly News. Cue insert foot in mouth and shove, and the President gets an early souvenir from the Olympic Games.

The Guardian was positively gleeful.

Mitt Romney handed Barack Obama a priceless gift for the US presidential election campaign when the presumptive Republican nominee blundered on his first diplomatic outing by questioning whether London was capable of staging a successful Olympic Games.

In a move that astonished Downing Street, hours before it laid on a special reception for Romney at No 10 he told NBC there were "disconcerting" signs about the preparations for the Games.

One senior Whitehall source said: "What a total shocker. We are speechless."

David Cameron wasted no time in rebuking Romney hours after his remarks were broadcast. On a visit to the Olympic Park, the prime minister said: "We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. Of course it's easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere."

Cameron's remarks were intended to be a light-hearted jibe at Romney, who used his famous management skills honed at Bain Capital to rescue the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Oh dear ... considering this was Romney's first diplomatic trip abroad as the potential future President of the United States, this was as big a gaffe as any he's made Stateside, but on an international level. If I were a Republican, I would be embarrassed at the arrogance, the entitlement and the insensitivity of both Mitt and Ann Romney, and as an American, I am.

This is what Romney actually said in the interview which caused such consternation:-

You know, it's hard to know just how well it will turn out. There are a few things that were disconcerting, the stories about the private security firm not having enough people, supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging. Because there are three parts that makes Games successful.

Number one, of course, are the athletes. That's what overwhelmingly the Games are about. Number two are the volunteers. And they'll have great volunteers here. But number three are the people of the country. Do they come together and celebrate the Olympic moment? And that's something which we only find out once the Games actually begin.

Just a few quirks here ... we all know the problems the organisers have had with the security firm employed. The British have been open and honest about what has gone wrong, and they're seeking to remedy that with thousands of military personnel on call-up. Also, the strike by border officials was called off this morning, but still, in this day of massive globalisation, Romney should never have made that remark, even on a US broadcast, because it would play here, almost simultaneously. Jeez, he really is out of touch.

Now, here comes some good irony ... Boris Johnson, the Conservative Mayor of London, leapt to his city's defence.

London is as ready as any city has ever been in the history of the Olympic Games.

The irony is this: The Conservatives are the spiritual brethren of the Republican party. Boris Johnson was born in New York City and, therefore, is entitled to a US passport. Perhaps the Republicans might think about approaching him in the future? Naaah, Boris is pro-choice and believes in climate change. Besides, he's part Turkish.

Gaffe Number Two came when he met Labour Leader Ed Miliband, a bastion of Anglo-Saxon heritage, being the son of Polish Jewish immigrants. Romney forgot Miliband's name.

As things happen in threes, the third gaffe was lying in wait. Romney had a briefing with Sir John Sawers, head of MI6 (that's Brit for CIA) and announced that he'd met with this man during his Downing Street visit ... something visiting foreign dignitaries simply do not do.

Still, Ann Romney's staying in Britain in order to watch their tax deduction horse perform in the Olympic dressage event. I guess Mitt needs to learn not to look a gift horse in the mouth.