Sen. Portman: Cairo embassy statement "inappropriate"

(CBS News) Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, took to "CBS This Morning" on Thursday to strongly defend Mitt Romney for criticizing the Obama administration over an initial response by the Cairo embassy to anti-American protests

"I think most Americans would look at that and say this is not the appropriate response when your embassy was assaulted when the American flag is taken down and two Islamic flags put up over American territory," Portman, a loyal Romney surrogate who is playing Obama in Romney's debate prep sessions, said.

Portman is referring to a statement released by the Cairo embassy before violent protests began, which said "we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions," referring to an American-made anti-Islam film that is said to have, in part, sparked the protests. President Obama told CBS News' Steve Kroft that the release was an attempt by American personnel in Cairo to stave off violence and "cool the situation down." 

In a statement, Romney said "it's disgraceful that the Obama Administration's first response was not to condemn attacks... but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks."

"[Romney's] statement was very clear. It just said the American government ought not to issue an apology we ought to be condemning these attacks," Portman said on Thursday morning.

Portman said Romney's statement was made before the deaths of the four Americans in Libya were known and that Romney was trying to make the point that "this is not the time to talk about apologies for a video the American government had nothing to do with."

After co-host Norah O'Donnell reiterated that the Cairo Embassy statement was released before the protests began as an effort to calm angry sentiments, Portman said Romney was making the same conclusion that the White House came to as well.

"What I am saying is frankly what the White House is saying now is that that statement was inappropriate," Portman said, referring to the Obama administration's displeasure with the Cairo embassy's release.

"We're Americans first. ... Certainly we send our condolences to the families of the Americans who lost their lives," Portman added.

[StanUbeki]

I am so looking forward to the Oct 3 debate, especially if Portman is coaching Romney. I love it when they get knocked off script and stumble. They just repeat and repeat like robots in error mode.

[kenohio]

The Portman interview reminds me of the old Soviet Union or North Korea today, what ever the Party says is what you say and think , freethinking is out of the question.Even when confronted by the facts he continues with the Party line,facts and truth seem to be an inconvenience to the Republican Party these days, lies are becoming the standard.

[pkkill]

Nora O'Donnell obvioulsy did not get the memo. Doesn't she know that she's supposed to smile, be pretty, and just acquiesce when some politician is lying to her face. First, she called Paul Ryan on his, ehhh, misstatements. Now she called Portman out for his lame excuses. Nora is quickly become my favorite mainstream media TV journalist.

[0bama2O12]

Marines guarding the U.S. Embassy in Cairo were reportedly barred from carrying live ammunition and therefore not equipped to defend it from attack earlier this week, according to the U.S. national security newsletter NightWatch. Thank God, otherwise would be at war with the Muslim Brotherhood.

[RollotheNorman]

Not really, I doubt the story was true. If a Marine has a rifle 99% of the time he has ready access to live ammo. Now it's altogether possible that the Marine detachments engagement orders only allowed firing if fired upon - that would make sense in the situation that only unarmed civilians were breaching the wall. Fire discipline in the Corps is usually very good, and no Marine officer would stand for his Marines to be unarmed in that situation. Don't believe everything you happen to read.

[dodinyc]

Hey Portman yoo hoo - You say the statement was not appropriate when an embassy has been stormed. Maybe not but the statement was made before, not after it was stormed. A sitting senator doesn't even know the facts here and goes on tv to make judgments. Sounds like another guy running for president.

[retmw1]

Portman is looking for a cabinet post if romney is elected. He can't be bothered with his job of representing constituents in Ohio.

[47_percenter]

retmwi... I could not have said it better. While these Ohio GOP politicians are out supporting Mittens who is doing their jobs? Hmm if it is so easy to have all of this time perhaps we can reduce the Deficit by eliminating some of their jobs. Boehner is completely useless. He is SUPPOSED to be my congressman so I know. He has a unhealthy hatred of the President that would make a therapist fascinated. Check out his web site. It is a "I hate Obama" site. Well he has 4 more years for that hate because Mittens has learned that the Ohio GOP is useless to him as well.

[midwestkris]

What's really disturbing is that the comments they are referring to were BEFORE the attack, not in response to the attack. There has been nothing but outrage expressed in response to this egregious event.

[LibMel]

While I don't think this was the right time to take a political swipe, I do agree with most of what Romney said. It is shocking to me that it took so long for the President to say anything. I know that he wanted to wait until he had all the facts, but a simple statement of what's happening and that he was on top of it would have been great.

Furthermore, I did like what I heard from Sec. Clinton. What I did not hear from our President was defending our values, more particularly our Freedom of Speech. It is clear that most Amercians think this silly movie is offensive and ridiculous, but that doesn't diminish a person's right to express their opinion. Very shocking that our Democratic President did not defend our Freedom of Speech. Confusing to me.

At the end of the day I don't really believe that this entire ordeal is due to some barely known movie. Also, it is important for Romney to make his stance known. Those of us who are yet undecided NEED to know where he stands on foreign policy. I would like to remind voters that President Obama had no foreign policy experience before he was elected.

[mcarrcpa]

The statement was issued by the Cairo Embassy to calm matters. Mr Romney's and Mr. Portman's butt's aren't sitting Cairo in the middle of angry , childish mobs. Like most Chickenhawks ( see Chaney, Richard) they are more than will to risk someones else's butt for their own political gain.

[JoniB--2008]

I am shocked at two things - Nora Odonnels grilling of Sen Portman and the press's failure to see that their failure to recognize the attacks on free speech have the potential to undermine their own free speech. Re: Ms. Odonnel's approach, I hope someone will tell her how irritating it is to listen to her rude interrupting of the person being interviewed. If she wants to have a monologue, don't bother to invite someone else into the picture. It just makes her look obnoxious, not smarter than the other person.

[pkkill]

No one said the idiot who did the hachet film job on Islam wasn't free to do so. All they are saying, exercising their freedom of speech, is that he's an idiot. One can certainly condemn bigotry and stupidity. BTW, saying the filmmaker is an idiot in no way condones the attacks, but that subtlety is typically lost on conservatives. Nora O'Donnell is quickly becoming my favorite MSM TV journalist.

[sjc_1]

This was a statement from the embassy trying to calm protests. It was a statement of understanding, why does the GOP want to make it a big flag waving deal? Maybe because they are losing on all other fronts and this is all they have.

[BuckeyeChuck]

What is really scary is that the way the republicans are defending the video, is that it must reflect their values. Maybe Portman should watch it.