JERUSALEM — Mitt Romney held an intimate breakfast fundraiser here Monday with some of his campaign’s biggest benefactors, telling them about the spiritual impact his trip to Israel had had on him.

Seated around a U-shaped conference table with roughly 40 donors, with Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson immediately to his left, Romney said he was “overwhelmingly impressed with the hand of providence.”

“I come to this place, therefore, with a sense of profound humility, as I look around here at great people who’ve accomplished a great thing, and also a sense of spiritual connection, acknowledging the hand of providence in establishing this place and making it a holy city,” Romney said.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was expected to raise more than $1 million from the donors, who each were required to raise or donate $25,000 to $50,000 to attend the event. All of the donors are U.S. citizens, and many of them flew here from the United States to be with Romney during his 36-hour visit to Jerusalem.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/at-fundraiser-in-israel-romney-describes-spiritual-impact-of-visit/2012/07/30/gJQAFXJpJX_print.html

Speaking to roughly four dozen donors at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, Mr. Romney suggested that cultural differences between the Israelis and the Palestinians were the reason the Israelis were so much more economically successful than the Palestinians, without mentioning the impact that deep trade restrictions imposed by the Israeli government have had on the Palestinian economy. He also vastly understated the income disparities between the two groups.

In his speech, Mr. Romney mentioned two books that had influenced his thinking about nations — “Guns, Germs and Steel,” by Jared Diamond, and “The Wealth and Poverty of Nations,” by David S. Landes. Mr. Diamond’s book, Mr. Romney said, argues that the physical characteristics of the land account for the success of the people living there, while Mr. Landes’s book, he continued, argues that culture is the defining factor.

“Culture makes all the difference,” Mr. Romney said. “And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things.”

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/romney-comments-on-palestinians-draw-criticism/?hp

What an educated ignoramus... Romney read two books...

If you could learn anything from the economic history of the world it's this: culture makes all the difference ... recognise the hand of providence in selecting this place," Romney said.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator in the peace process, told Reuters that Romney's comments amounted to "a racist statement that shows a lack of knowledge".

Romney said Israel's GDP per capita was $21,000, while for Palestinians it was $10,000, though the US Central Intelligence Agency estimates Israel's is $31,400 and the Palestinians' about $2,900.

"Everyone knows that the Palestinians cannot reach their full potential given the Israeli restrictions imposed on them," Erekat said.

Romney made no reference to the tight control Israel has held on most of Palestinian territory since occupaying it in the 1967 war. Israel controls the borders of the West Bank and allows thousands of Israelis to live on illegal settlements inside Palestinian territory. It also harshly restricts the movement of Palestinians inside and outside the West Bank.

In Gaza, where Israel has withdrawn settlements, an air and land blockade has hamstrung development.

Romney was speaking at an event where he reportedly raised more than $1 million for his campaign.

He did not travel to the West Bank during his two-day stay in Israel, finding time only for a brief meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. He later flew to Poland on the last leg of his international tour.

The controversy he kicked up among Palestinians followed irritation in Britain last week when he questioned London's
readiness to stage the Olympic Games.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/07/2012730225848752676.html

How is Mitt Romney’s summer vacation going? Fine, except for frequent pauses to remove foot from mouth.

He began his “Look At Me, I’m a Statesman” overseas tour by offending the people of the United Kingdom. To put it mildly, Romney is no genius at reading the mood of an audience. But even he realized things were not going well when he saw tabloid headlines such as “Mitt the Twit” and “Nowhere Man.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-romney-stumbles-through-his-world-tour/2012/07/30/gJQAdJJILX_story.html?hpid=z2

"... great weather, enthusiasm on the part of the people here in London,” he said. “I think you’re going to see terrific games that’ll be a long time in our memories.”

As he kicked off the first leg of a weeklong overseas trip, Romney deflected questions about foreign policy differences between himself and President Obama; he told Morgan that he did not plan to delve into the matter “given the fact I’m on foreign soil.”

Romney did, however, defend George W. Bush’s handling of foreign policy and the war in Iraq.

“I can tell you that I think President Bush took action which he believed — based upon the information that was available to him, both from British intelligence and intelligence in our country and around the world — that Saddam Hussein presented a very serious threat to the world, including the potential of weapons of mass destruction,” Romney said. “And he took action which he believed was necessary to protect our people and our friends.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/romney-on-london-olympics-its-absolutely-fabulous/2012/07/26/gJQA0vwfCX_blog.html

Based on the information available to him???? BUSH LIED!!!!.... He and his mates Blair and Howard fudged the information!!!!... The French and the Germans knew the "English" hegemony's intelligence on Saddam was totally bogus... WE knew they were telling us porkies! Hans Blix knew they were telling porkies!... Romney is mad as a cut mormon snake to bring this issue back on the front burner... See toon at top... And by removing Saddam, Bush did the Iranians a big favour... Are they "your friends"?

Mr Romney's campaign spokeswoman said his comments had been "grossly mischaracterised".

The first leg of his tour, in London, had also proved controversial when the UK media reacted angrily to comments he made about the readiness of Olympic Games organisers prior to the opening of London 2012.

'Brimming with values'

The former Massachusetts governor's tour is intended to drum up support and increase his profile globally as he faces incumbent President Barack Obama in November's presidential elections.

Mr Romney was met in Gdansk by Mr Walesa - Solidarity's first leader and Poland's first democratically-elected president - and by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

"He's very open, and brimming with values, his wife is always by his side, he's got five kids -- we're very much alike, I really like him and am pleased we met," Mr Walesa told reporters.

But the trade union movement, which originated in Gdansk and toppled Poland's communist regime in the late 1980s, said it had nothing to do with Mr Romney's trip to the city.

"Regretfully, we were informed by our friends from the American headquarters of AFL-CIO (trade union in the US), which represents more than 12 million employees... that Mitt Romney supported attacks on trade unions and employees' rights," Solidarity said in a statement.

Mr Walesa and Solidarity have not seen eye to eye for some years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19052292

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Mitt Romney — not a "grossly mischaracterized" but a true menace to workers and to everyone who is not a member of the ultrarite one per cent ...