Republican candidate mixes up Obama with Osama
Fred Attewill and agencies
Wednesday October 24, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
One could become the next president of the United States. The other is possibly America's biggest hate figure, with a $25m (£12m) bounty on his head. But that did not stop Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney confusing Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden.
Mr Romney was criticising the foreign and economic policies of Mr Obama and other Democrat challengers for the White House when he seamlessly moved on to discuss a recent tape, apparently from Bin Laden, calling on Islamists in Iraq to unite.
"Actually, just look at what Osama - Barack Obama - said just yesterday. Barack Obama, calling on radicals, jihadists of all different types, to come together in Iraq. That is the battlefield. ... It's almost as if the Democratic contenders for president are living in fantasyland. Their idea for jihad is to retreat, and their idea for the economy is to also retreat. And in my view, both efforts are wrongheaded."
A spokesman for Mr Romney said: "He misspoke. He was referring to the audiotape of Osama bin Laden and misspoke. It was just a mix-up."
Mr Romney refused to discuss the error, which was made at a campaign speech in South Carolina. A spokesman for Mr Obama said: "Apparently, Mitt Romney can switch names just as casually as he switches positions, but what's wrongheaded is continuing a misguided war in Iraq that has left America less safe."
Fred Attewill and agencies
Wednesday October 24, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
One could become the next president of the United States. The other is possibly America's biggest hate figure, with a $25m (£12m) bounty on his head. But that did not stop Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney confusing Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden.
Mr Romney was criticising the foreign and economic policies of Mr Obama and other Democrat challengers for the White House when he seamlessly moved on to discuss a recent tape, apparently from Bin Laden, calling on Islamists in Iraq to unite.
"Actually, just look at what Osama - Barack Obama - said just yesterday. Barack Obama, calling on radicals, jihadists of all different types, to come together in Iraq. That is the battlefield. ... It's almost as if the Democratic contenders for president are living in fantasyland. Their idea for jihad is to retreat, and their idea for the economy is to also retreat. And in my view, both efforts are wrongheaded."
A spokesman for Mr Romney said: "He misspoke. He was referring to the audiotape of Osama bin Laden and misspoke. It was just a mix-up."
Mr Romney refused to discuss the error, which was made at a campaign speech in South Carolina. A spokesman for Mr Obama said: "Apparently, Mitt Romney can switch names just as casually as he switches positions, but what's wrongheaded is continuing a misguided war in Iraq that has left America less safe."