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Part Of Romney's Foreign Itinerary: Raising Money
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is on a weeklong trip in which he's scheduled to meet with three prime ministers, give two speeches and attend the opening ceremonies of the London Olympics. On a more practical level, he'll also raise some campaign cash.
This trip is designed to highlight how Romney would fix the failings he sees in President Obama's foreign policy.
Romney opened his attack Tuesday while still in the U.S. In an address to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Reno, Nev., he lit into the Obama administration's relationship with Israel.
"Since I wouldn't venture into another country to question American foreign policy, I will tell you right here — before I leave — what I think of this administration's shabby treatment of one of our finest friends," he said.
On Sunday night in Jerusalem — scheduled in between a day of religious fasting and a day of high-level meetings — is a Romney fundraising dinner. Tickets start at $50,000 per couple.
Fundraising Abroad
"I think that there's been an incredible response to Gov. Romney's fundraiser," says Jonny Daniels, an Israeli political consultant with close ties to the Republican Party. "I know dozens of people that are flying out to Israel from the United States, literally for a few days, just to be in Israel when the governor's there."
He says the travelers include leaders of the Republican Jewish Coalition and other members of the GOP elite.
"Which, in fact, in terms of what Gov. Romney's doing, strengthens his ties with these people," Daniels says. "Enables them to be with him not just for a fundraiser, but to be with him in a day in a place that they call home."
The Jerusalem event comes after Romney holds a pair of fundraisers in London on Thursday — a reception priced at $2,500 per person and a dinner costing $25,000 and up. Both are aimed at donors in the banking industry.
There's a little awkwardness involved. Originally, Barclays CEO Bob Diamond was going to be one of the hosts. But since then, the bank has paid $450 million in fines to settle charges that it rigged the LIBOR, the rate that international banks charge for short-term loans to one another. The bank faces a criminal investigation in England, and Diamond has resigned as CEO.
Still, another of Romney's fundraising hosts is Patrick Durkin, the top lobbyist in Barclays' U.S. operation. He's also a Romney campaign bundler — a solicitor of contributions.
The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics says Durkin has previously raised more than $1 million.
Durkin and the Romney campaign both declined comment for this story.
Americans Overseas
Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, a liberal group that criticizes big money in politics, says Romney "is obviously raising huge sums of money from across the country and apparently from across the world, but he is focusing very heavily on the Wall Street sector."
Weissman says neither candidate nor donors seem deterred by the LIBOR scandal or other problems that have rolled through the financial sector.
"So I suppose it's no worse to be doing that in London than it is to be doing it in New York, but it's a sad state of affairs," he says.
Now, all of these events are raising money from American citizens and permanent residents.
"Best estimates are that there are 6 [million] or 7 million American citizens who live outside the U.S.," says Rob Carolina, chairman of Democrats Abroad United Kingdom.
He points out that it's illegal to solicit political money from anyone who isn't a citizen or a green-card holder. And he says the law is taken seriously.
"I'm typically asked to produce my passport at the time a contribution is made. Or alternatively, if a contribution is made online, it's become commonplace to ask people to scan and submit a copy of their passport for records," he says.
Carolina says Americans overseas are often eager to do more in politics than just vote.
And as campaign budgets keep pushing upward, politicians from would-be congressmen to would-be presidents are looking overseas — especially to London.
In the last presidential campaign, the visitors to London included Republican Rudolph Giuliani, Democrat Dennis Kucinich, former President Clinton and future first lady Michelle Obama.
Two weeks ago, the Obama campaign held a $250-per-person reception. And last July, Romney attended a reception in London that records indicate grossed about $73,000.
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/25/157381528/part-of-romneys-foreign-itinerary-raising-money
This trip is designed to highlight how Romney would fix the failings he sees in President Obama's foreign policy.
Romney opened his attack Tuesday while still in the U.S. In an address to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Reno, Nev., he lit into the Obama administration's relationship with Israel.
"Since I wouldn't venture into another country to question American foreign policy, I will tell you right here — before I leave — what I think of this administration's shabby treatment of one of our finest friends," he said.
On Sunday night in Jerusalem — scheduled in between a day of religious fasting and a day of high-level meetings — is a Romney fundraising dinner. Tickets start at $50,000 per couple.
Fundraising Abroad
"I think that there's been an incredible response to Gov. Romney's fundraiser," says Jonny Daniels, an Israeli political consultant with close ties to the Republican Party. "I know dozens of people that are flying out to Israel from the United States, literally for a few days, just to be in Israel when the governor's there."
He says the travelers include leaders of the Republican Jewish Coalition and other members of the GOP elite.
"Which, in fact, in terms of what Gov. Romney's doing, strengthens his ties with these people," Daniels says. "Enables them to be with him not just for a fundraiser, but to be with him in a day in a place that they call home."
The Jerusalem event comes after Romney holds a pair of fundraisers in London on Thursday — a reception priced at $2,500 per person and a dinner costing $25,000 and up. Both are aimed at donors in the banking industry.
There's a little awkwardness involved. Originally, Barclays CEO Bob Diamond was going to be one of the hosts. But since then, the bank has paid $450 million in fines to settle charges that it rigged the LIBOR, the rate that international banks charge for short-term loans to one another. The bank faces a criminal investigation in England, and Diamond has resigned as CEO.
Still, another of Romney's fundraising hosts is Patrick Durkin, the top lobbyist in Barclays' U.S. operation. He's also a Romney campaign bundler — a solicitor of contributions.
The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics says Durkin has previously raised more than $1 million.
Durkin and the Romney campaign both declined comment for this story.
Americans Overseas
Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, a liberal group that criticizes big money in politics, says Romney "is obviously raising huge sums of money from across the country and apparently from across the world, but he is focusing very heavily on the Wall Street sector."
Weissman says neither candidate nor donors seem deterred by the LIBOR scandal or other problems that have rolled through the financial sector.
"So I suppose it's no worse to be doing that in London than it is to be doing it in New York, but it's a sad state of affairs," he says.
Now, all of these events are raising money from American citizens and permanent residents.
"Best estimates are that there are 6 [million] or 7 million American citizens who live outside the U.S.," says Rob Carolina, chairman of Democrats Abroad United Kingdom.
He points out that it's illegal to solicit political money from anyone who isn't a citizen or a green-card holder. And he says the law is taken seriously.
"I'm typically asked to produce my passport at the time a contribution is made. Or alternatively, if a contribution is made online, it's become commonplace to ask people to scan and submit a copy of their passport for records," he says.
Carolina says Americans overseas are often eager to do more in politics than just vote.
And as campaign budgets keep pushing upward, politicians from would-be congressmen to would-be presidents are looking overseas — especially to London.
In the last presidential campaign, the visitors to London included Republican Rudolph Giuliani, Democrat Dennis Kucinich, former President Clinton and future first lady Michelle Obama.
Two weeks ago, the Obama campaign held a $250-per-person reception. And last July, Romney attended a reception in London that records indicate grossed about $73,000.
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/25/157381528/part-of-romneys-foreign-itinerary-raising-money
Unless sanctions can cripple a nation, it seems as if they don't work so well. Humanitarian efforts disallow crippling sanctions, so you get what we have here.
I have no opinion on this matter. If a war breaks out, I know we will end up in it and I am tired of people blaming one President for wars and excusing another. That can't be the way it works unless you are very much in it for the partisan politics that most here say they are against.
I have no opinion on this matter. If a war breaks out, I know we will end up in it and I am tired of people blaming one President for wars and excusing another. That can't be the way it works unless you are very much in it for the partisan politics that most here say they are against.
Mitt Romney would 'respect' Israel strike on Iran, aide says
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/07/29/13016589-mitt-romney-would-respect-israel-strike-on-iran-aide-says?lite
JERUSALEM - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would “respect” Israel if it were to decide it had to use military force to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, a senior aide said on Sunday.
"If Israel has to take action on its own, in order to stop Iran from developing that capability, the governor would respect that decision," Romney's senior national security aide Dan Senor told reporters traveling with the candidate.
The comment, made ahead of Romney's planned meetings in Jerusalem with Israeli leaders, seemed to differ with President Barack Obama's attempts to convince Israel to avoid any preemptive attack.
Gov. Romney’s first meeting was Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who greeted him as a “personal friend and friend of Israel.”
Shaking hands underneath U.S. and Israel flags, the pair signaled that Iran would be top of the agenda in their discussions.
Netanyahu said: "We have to be honest and say that all the sanctions and diplomacy so far have not set back the Iranian program by one iota. And that's why I believe that we need a strong and credible military threat coupled with the sanctions to have a chance to change that situation."
Sunday’s comments came as a senior Israeli official denied a newspaper report that President Barack Obama's national security adviser had briefed Netanyahu on a U.S. contingency plan to attack Iran should diplomacy fail to curb its nuclear program.
The Israeli liberal Haaretz daily on Sunday quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying the adviser, Thomas Donilon, had described the plan over dinner with Netanyahu earlier this month.
"Nothing in the article is correct. Donilon did not meet the prime minister for dinner, he did not meet him one-on-one, nor did he present operational plans to attack Iran," the senior official, who declined to be named given the sensitivity of the issue, told Reuters."
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/07/29/13016589-mitt-romney-would-respect-israel-strike-on-iran-aide-says?lite
JERUSALEM - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would “respect” Israel if it were to decide it had to use military force to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, a senior aide said on Sunday.
"If Israel has to take action on its own, in order to stop Iran from developing that capability, the governor would respect that decision," Romney's senior national security aide Dan Senor told reporters traveling with the candidate.
The comment, made ahead of Romney's planned meetings in Jerusalem with Israeli leaders, seemed to differ with President Barack Obama's attempts to convince Israel to avoid any preemptive attack.
Gov. Romney’s first meeting was Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who greeted him as a “personal friend and friend of Israel.”
Shaking hands underneath U.S. and Israel flags, the pair signaled that Iran would be top of the agenda in their discussions.
Netanyahu said: "We have to be honest and say that all the sanctions and diplomacy so far have not set back the Iranian program by one iota. And that's why I believe that we need a strong and credible military threat coupled with the sanctions to have a chance to change that situation."
Sunday’s comments came as a senior Israeli official denied a newspaper report that President Barack Obama's national security adviser had briefed Netanyahu on a U.S. contingency plan to attack Iran should diplomacy fail to curb its nuclear program.
The Israeli liberal Haaretz daily on Sunday quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying the adviser, Thomas Donilon, had described the plan over dinner with Netanyahu earlier this month.
"Nothing in the article is correct. Donilon did not meet the prime minister for dinner, he did not meet him one-on-one, nor did he present operational plans to attack Iran," the senior official, who declined to be named given the sensitivity of the issue, told Reuters."
I'm cannot comment as to whether or not it's ok for Presidential candidates to actually take money from other countries, but it sure makes sense to me that foreign countries would donate to Presidential candidates campaigns. The US is unique in that it is the worlds biggest super power right now. You are always going to have a huge interest from outside the US as to who becomes President. Your election impacts all of us outside the US, it's just the way it is. Your economic situation has a huge impact on all of us. Frankly, everything you do touches us. So I can sure see how and why this happens. I doubt any other country watches our election or many other countries, but the whole world watches the US elections. Heck, I think it gets more media coverage in Canada then our own Federal elections do. I sure know I watch with interest (and sometimes worry).
I am not comfortable with either party fund raising out of the U.S.
However, I am certainly more comfortable with a candidate taking money from Israel rather than from the Saudis.
Israel is an ally and the only democracy in the Middle East (along with Jordan) and while I still don't believe either candidate should be begging from any other country, better to be obliged to friends than enemies.
However, I am certainly more comfortable with a candidate taking money from Israel rather than from the Saudis.
Israel is an ally and the only democracy in the Middle East (along with Jordan) and while I still don't believe either candidate should be begging from any other country, better to be obliged to friends than enemies.
"Since I wouldn't venture into another country to question American foreign policy......."
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/28/13001202-romney-looks-for-political-lift-in-israel-after-london-miscues?lite
"...in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Hayom (owned by conservative mega-donor Sheldon Adelson), Romney ripped the president for various elements of his policy toward Israel..."
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/28/13001202-romney-looks-for-political-lift-in-israel-after-london-miscues?lite
"...in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Hayom (owned by conservative mega-donor Sheldon Adelson), Romney ripped the president for various elements of his policy toward Israel..."
Personally, I am much more interested in what the Israelis think about the ramen noodle. That's going to be real exciting and may sway my vote.
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