Romney promises to bring Churchill bust back to White House

Mitt Romney arrives at 10 Downing Street in London on Thursday, July 26, 2012.

/ AP Photo/Jason Reed

LONDON - After promising not to criticize American policies while abroad, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Thursday took a swipe at President Obama's decision in 2009 to remove the bust of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill from the Oval Office, a decision that ruffled the feathers of some Brits.

"I'm looking forward to the bust of Winston Churchill being in the Oval Office again," Romney told a crowd of about 250 people at a Thursday evening fundraiser at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel following a day of meetings with current and former British leaders.

The bronze torso of Churchill had been loaned to President George W. Bush following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and although it was due to be returned when Obama took office, British officials offered to extend the loan for another four years. Obama declined, and replaced the Churchill bust with one of President Abraham Lincoln, a Republican figure in history Obama admires.

(Romney meets with British leaders in London.)

Romney's idea of putting the bust back in the White House first surfaced in an article in The Telegraph, a British newspaper. In the story, two unnamed advisers said Romney would like to pay homage to Churchill if he is elected, with one saying the move would be "symbolically important." The same article also listed an unnamed adviser suggesting that Romney, compared to Obama, better understood the American-British relationship due to a shared "Anglo-Saxon heritage," a remark that was quickly condemned by Romney's campaign.

(Romney speaks in London.)

Speaking to a crowd of movers and shakers in London's financial sector, who paid from $2,500 to $25,000 to see the likely GOP nominee, Romney was effusive in describing his experience driving past the 12-foot statue of Churchill in London's Parliament Square.

"You live here, you see the sites day in and day out," he said. "But for me, as I drive past the sculpture of Winston Churchill and see that great sculpture next to Westminster Abbey and Parliament and with him larger than life, the enormous heft of that sculpture suggesting the scale of the grandeur and the greatness of the man, it tugs at the heartstrings to remember the kind of example that was led by Winston Churchill."

[BaffledGirl]

Hard to see how a loaned statue Bush arranged to return when he left office can be returned to the Whitehouse it doesn't belong to the US or to Mr Romney. He can keep the bust of Churchill already there that Obama also kept but that's it. Don't these people ever get sick of lying for a living?

[Lindag20]

Another load of BS. If EVERYTHING that ever was in the Oval Office was KEPT there it would be so full of stuff there would be no room for the president to sit down. Since the statue wasn't given to the US but belongs to Britian, Romney's just posturing as usual.

[Really_Really]

I wish Americans put the effort in to get the facts. I can't blame them entirely though--the MSM has down played every gaff and error this administration has made.

It was a big deal in the British press and a slap in the face to Britain when the British government offered, in a very public way, to extend the loan of the bust to show our close relationship with Briton.

I can only imagine the horror some would show if, say, President Bush had done something like that.

[TimeToEvolve]

Is RobMe a complete moron? Is this an American or is he French traitor (no offense to the French). Or maybe he is one of the alien human hybrids that came to earth from deep in space. To meet up with Darth Cheney and his neocons. Hoe else would you describe such hatred against humans?

[erasmus111]

Oh, yippee.

[audemus]

Mitt : "Dang it....what can I do to restore these Brit's opinion of me ? EUREKA !!!!! I'll tell them I'll put that Churchill bust back in the White House, that oughta do it ! Damn I'm smart...."

[fiddlestickawshucks]

Obama should never have returned the bust of Churchill to the UK in the first place.!!

It was a gift to the American people, and Obama should have obtained permission from the people before he returned it.

This SOB (Obama) has more nerve than brains.

His ego is so overinflated and he is so stupid it's pathetic.

Romney should bring the bust back to the WH wether he is elected or not.

As a matter of fact; he should pick it up on his way back to the US
and bring it with him.!!!

[SymphonyJ]

Except for the fact that it's still in the White House?

Try not to stain the carpet with your brains after your head explodes.

[WHAT-IS-HE-SMOKING]

The bust was on loan from England, what makes him think they will loan it to him after what he has said and done this past week?

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

by BenJordon July 27, 2012 8:45 AM EDT
Wow JK,... I love all this insider information you seem to have. You even know what rooms in the WH the president visits.

Very curious. Maybe the Secret Service should pay you a visit.
-----------------
I wish we had "Like" buttons on this site! : )

***LIKE***

[steveandrew5]

How much did he have to pay someone for that line? $2,000.00 I bet.


Weird Willard has done everything except roll on the pavement behind the Queen's horse carriage.

Nobody expects this bully to park his fat you know what in the WH.

[occupy_cbs]

What a moron.....he would really have a bust of joseph smith, so he could worship polygamy like a true mormon moron.

[JKB70]

One lie is that it was scheduled to be returned. Another lie is that it was a loan and another is that Britain offered to let it stay for another 4 years. It was a gift from Tony Blair, there was no return date on it. And, when Obama saw it he said to get it out of his sight. It's been sitting at the British Embassy in DC since then. It is not in Britain. Stop telling Obama's lies See BS. You've only got 5 viewers left as it is.

[nearl451]

Gee. All the Mitt attention is causing so much hurt feelings around here.


....AND what an important issue!

[dstatton]

The bust is still in the White House. It never left. It was removed from the Oval Office during renovations and replaced by one of Abraham Lincoln. It it now in the White House residence. Speaking of lies, I don't believe that Obama said get it out of his sight, either.