Romney Heads Abroad – Britain, Poland and Israel Tour – Press Dubs Trip - “Audition”

The Headline from ABC News: “Romney Plans Foreign Trip, Audition as US Leader”, is a reminder to those who follow “local and national network news” that Presidential Candidate, Mitt Romney, is both running for the office President Obama holds and is somehow “lacking” in foreign policy experience. )(ABC News) One might revisit the 2008 campaign where, then candidate Barack Obama, planned his first foray into foreign travel as a Presidential Candidate prior to the Democratic Convention, to acclaim: “In Western Europe, Hulsman said, Obama is "fanatically popular. People here, they're mesmerized by the notion an African-American could be elected president. They see Obama talking and hear Kennedyesque strains in what he says, and think maybe America isn't as bad as they thought."(McClatchy) Although the President had spent time abroad with his parents as a child, his political career in the Illinois Statehouse, and a term in the U.S. Senate hardly gave him the experience to deal effectively with foreign policy – rather it was more a “popularity contest”. In other words, no one who is running for the office of the President – with perhaps a few exceptions earlier U.S. History – has or had serious foreign policy experience.

On Romney from the ABC News article (Para.1):

For the Republican presidential hopeful — a former private equity executive and Massachusetts governor with little formal experience overseas — it's a chance to demonstrate competence in settings often occupied by presidents. He'll hold formal meetings with foreign leaders give public speeches and visit historic sites.
Aides say it's a chance for the candidate to forge links with strong U.S. allies and show that he'll stand up for shared values.
There's also risk: Romney, sometimes prone to misstatements, faces higher stakes wading into delicate diplomatic disputes than he does on the more familiar campaign trail at home. And executing a complicated trip through three countries over a weeklong span presents the most difficult logistical challenge Romney's campaign has yet faced.

Therefore, message is that due to Romney’s lack of “formal overseas experience”, and his “sometimes misstatements”, plus no prior “staff experience in planning overseas trips” there are “challenges”.

One must live under a rock therefore, if one is buying the ABC message. For starters, the argument against Senators and Congressional Representatives running for office is primarily their lack of governing experience and that includes foreign policy. However, Governors are another story, they routinely deal with aspects of foreign policy, including meeting with heads of state and foreign dignitaries who are either visiting and/or have business in the U.S., including Massachusetts. Unlike most candidates, Romney also has the Utah Olympics under his belt, one of the reasons he was chosen was his business credentials, those credentials, allowed him to deal with the logistics of the massive Olympic Games – which, if one needs reminding, requires contact with foreign nationals – and their governments.
Therefore, he is armed with at least a tad more “experience” than one’s average contender. As to Romney’s “misstatements” – apparently the President or any Presidential candidate has never before “misspoke”, even on foreign soil? – Seriously.

The way the “foreign press” sees Romney’s “tour”, maybe somewhat different – as the Republican nominee is not running on a “Rock Star” tour, rather, a visit to London to meet with past and present leaders of both parties, as well as a stop at the Olympics (naturally), in Poland, it will be more of the same, and in Israel he will meet with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders – although one article found in the Jerusalem Post indicates the upcoming visit: will be Romney’s 4th , while President Obama visited once on the campaign trail and has not visited since. (Jerusalem Post)

It is merely a rite of passage for any U.S. Presidential candidate – the outcome of which will be known to the world only during and immediately following the visit. One might read the press in the nations visited – Google supplies a translate this page feature which is quite helpful. In addition, one’s lack of experience prior to an election, cannot in any wise prepare that individual for what might take place globally once the office is attained. One must remember, Foreign nations do not “elect” the U.S. President, and their opinion of the U.S. President is really a matter pertaining to those who either fear, loath, or disrespect the “Leader of the Free World” and that can be as simple as a nations conservative or liberal point of view. At this point in time, globally, it really boils down to matters of the economy – and who is most competent, in the eyes of the world to set the U.S. on the right economic foot – as the U.S. standing affects all nations – be it our debt or our generous foreign aid, rather than any misstatements or lack of “experience” or even a personality contest.