Voters who tuned in to Monday’s presidential debate presumably wanted to know how more about how the two candidates for commander in chief might handle the challenges that will inevitably arise abroad. Remarkably, the foreign-policy-themed debate managed to write off most of the world. The fate of the euro, the pace of global climate change, and the machinations of Mexican drug cartels will affect the US economy. But if something isn’t happening in the region between Libya and Afghanistan, debate moderator Bob Schieffer’s choice of questions seemed to suggest, it’s of little consequence or interest to Americans.
It’s hardly surprising that the discussion kept coming back to the issues that get the most news coverage; Iran’s nuclear program, the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, and uncertainty in Afghanistan all have serious implications for the United States. But other areas of the world are undergoing profound transitions, too, and both candidates should be probed on how they would react. Instead, there was one question at the end of the debate about China’s rise — eliciting a brief discussion about trade matters — and no follow-up questioning about about America’s growing diplomatic competition with China in capitals around the developing world. The candidates didn’t help much, either; Romney at least broadened the discussion when he noted in passing that the growth of Latin America presents opportunities for the United States, but his assertion that the region’s economy is almost as strong as China’s wasn’t quite true.
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Oh REALLY, Boston Globe? You seem to have forgotten to write about Charles Woods, father of slain navy Seal Tyrone Woods, in Benghazi, Libya.--- Today's Boston Hearld wrote about it in today's editorials. Now the shameful Globe writes NOTHING about what happened in Benghazi, Libya. The same Globe that wrote about the Navy Seal from Winchester. Now we have the news from Charles Woods, grieving father of slain Navy Seal Tyrone Woods. At his son's funeral he met the Obama Administration. His account of his personal contacts with the Administration. He described President Obama’s condolences as insincere, said Vice President Joe Biden made a wildly inappropriate remark about his son and that, worst of all, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised that, “we’re going to have that person arrested and prosecuted that did the video.” Now, given the State Dept. e-mails, Charles knows that Hillary flat out LIED to him. There was no Video. Hillary Clinton is the one who should be arrested and prosecuted. Along with every member of the Obama Administration who LIED to Mr. Woods. And to the American people.
Between smooching the President's behind in agreement and shape shifting his way into a pretzel to accommodate yet another set of positions, Romney was incapable of "debating" foreign affairs on Monday. In its endorsement of President Obama this week for another four years in office, the Washington Post looked at the case for Romney and what kind of president he would be if elected:
"The sad answer is there is no way to know what Mr. Romney really believes. His unguarded expression of contempt for 47 percent of the population seems as sincere as anything else we’ve heard, but that’s only conjecture. At times he has advocated a muscular, John McCain-style foreign policy, but in the final presidential debate he positioned himself as a dove. ... Every politician changes his mind sometimes; you’d worry if not. But rarely has a politician gotten so far with only one evident immutable belief: his conviction in his own fitness for higher office." [See “Washington Post endorsement: Four more years for President Obama” at http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/washington-post-endorsement-four-more-years-for-president-obama/2012/10/25/6ca309a2-1965-11e2-bd10-5ff056538b7c_story.html ]
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The Globe has lost all credibility by hiding the Benghazi story in order to protect Obama. Shame!
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It is easy to ignore issues . . . and absolutely amazing the lack of Globe information about the Terrorist attack on Benghazi that killed 4 Americans. The armed forces personnel are talking about it, much to the chagrin of the Democratic President.
Also, little details about the difficulty the troops are having receiving their ballotts . . . absolutely amazing the lack of Globe information about it.
No transparency from this federal administration.
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