Political Hotsheet
By

Steve Chaggaris /

CBS News/ July 26, 2012, 3:12 PM

Did Romney break cone of silence?

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney walks out of 10 Downing Street after meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London, Thursday, July 26, 2012.

/ AP Photo/Charles Dharapak
(CBS News) Mitt Romney gave an update Thursday on his meetings during the first day of his London trip, including some details that, apparently, are usually kept under wraps.

A meeting with Sir John Sawers, the head of Britain's MI6 intelligence agency, was not on Romney's public schedule and didn't come to light until he shared it with the world at a news conference Thursday.

(Watch Romney's comment in the video to the left.)

"I can only say that I appreciated the insights and perspectives of the leaders of the government here and opposition here as well as the head of MI6," he said following a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street. "[W]e discussed Syria and the hope for a more peaceful future for that country."

Interestingly, when asked for comment, Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which handles press for MI6, wouldn't acknowledge the meeting, "Sir John Sawers meets many people, but we don't give a running commentary on any of these private meetings."

The British press suggested that Romney slipped up by talking about the meeting, suggesting that intelligence-related meetings are usually not discussed publicly. When asked for reaction, a Romney senior policy official said he didn't have a reaction and that Romney's "said all he'll say on that."

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
38 Comments Add a Comment
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USisforallraces says:
"Worse than Sarah Palin".........

According to the obviously ULTRA LEFTISH British press.....yeah whatever!

Keep fooling yourselves TP/GOPs......just as you were singing the praises of that 'dumb-chick' S.P., in 2008.
Hopefully the sensible ones will outnumber the bigots in Nov.
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Thoughtwaves says:
There was no snafu, no gaffe, no backpedaling. All these headlines are simply more cheap shots by the liberal press. Romney was asked a question and he answered it HONESTLY. The liberal media is just continuing its campaign to try to make Romney look bad. If there is a security concern it should be addressed rather than mocked or used as liberal slam fodder.

NPR -- PHILIP REEVES -- "What Romney said is, in fact, the view of many of the British. There's been a huge outcry here over the fact that a security company, G4S, failed to produce thousands of guards that they promised to come up with for the games, and troops had to be brought in to fill the gap."
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goat5691 says:
Personally I feel that if he is put in the White House we will never see another Democratic President. We will see 'bought and paid for' Republicans.
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goat5691 says:
Come on people...do you hate Obama so much that you will put this idiot in the White House?
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Thisbudz4OU says:
Hey Mitt, Next stop is Israel. I hear the pork chops are good there!
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goat5691 replies:
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So is a burka!
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themanfrombrum says:
Mitt Romney, you obviously don't know anything about protocol. Please don't come to our beautiful England again. I'd rather President Obama came, at least he knows the names of people he is meeting.
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ajaxean replies:
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Hah. Protocol. Shows where your priorities lie.
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steveandrew5 says:
Too stupid to avoid talking in public, he is not Presidential. Just a bully.

In the UK for a few hours yet Weird Willard has done everything except roll on the pavement behind the Queen's horse carriage.
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ajaxean says:
This is so dumb. How is having a basic meeting a secret? Maybe the British should expect a little more transparency in their government. And if anyone feels as if your voting decision is being influenced by this drivel... maybe you should sit the next election out.
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estherlinley says:
Cone of Silence? Is that ENGLISH? I don't think so!!!!!!!!
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goat5691 replies:
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I've heard of 'code of silence'
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occupy_cbs says:
What a moron....willard should have just visited his money in the Caymans, the Bahamas, and Switzerland -- instead of trying to prove he is something he is not!
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