Romney does not get national security briefings

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney addresses the crowd at the 134th National Guard Association Convention at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, September 11, 2012 in Reno, Nevada.

/ David Calvert

Updated: 5:26 p.m. ET

(CBS News) WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney does not currently receive national security briefings, his campaign confirmed to CBS News today.

Typically, presidential candidates begin receiving briefings after securing their party's nomination, which Romney did in Tampa two weeks ago.

"It's a long-standing practice for presidential candidates and select advisers to be provided intelligence briefings following the party's nominating convention," Shawn Turner, the spokesman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, told CNN in June. "During the last presidential campaign, all the candidates began receiving briefings in September following the conventions."

Turner tells CBS News the process is "moving forward."

"The Intelligence Community is working closely with the Romney campaign to finalize the logistics for the candidate briefings," he told CBS News. "The process is moving forward on schedule and we are not aware of any concerns."

Asked who Romney is currently leaning on most for foreign policy advice right now, spokeswoman Andrea Saul responded, "Governor Romney is pleased to draw on a deep bench of foreign policy and national security experts who advise him and his campaign."

Romney announced a team of foreign policy advisers on October 6, 2011. Tibor Nagy, former US ambassador to Guinea and Ethiopia, is chair of the campaign's Africa strategy team. At a fundraiser today in Jacksonville, Romney mentioned a conversation he had in the past with former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, who has endorsed and fundraised for Romney. "I saw Dr. Kissinger some months ago," Romney said. "I said, 'Dr Kissinger, how is America perceived today in the world? He said one word, "Weak." Weak. The world needs American strength."

With one term of governorship under his belt, Romney is often noted for not having significant foreign policy experience. He traveled overseas this summer to England, Israel and Poland, on a trip his campaign billed as an "international listening tour." There, he met with foreign leaders and visited historical sites, and often says he learned much from his trip.

Romney has come under criticism for what his detractors say is a decision to politicize the recent violence in Egypt and Libya, which resulted in the death of a U.S. ambassador and three others.

[newsgirl27]

Provide Romney et al security information???!!

Given Romney's penchant for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, and blurting out unconfirmed, possibly confidential, information (like saying a diplomat is dead BEFORE it's confirmed, BEFORE next of kin are notified and WHILE Americans are actively in harms way) -

I am terrified to think what he could LEAK by accident, or ON PURPOSE, through him or a staffer or one of his crazy surrogates, that could fan the flames of unstable regions. After what he's said this week, I would not put it passed him.

By questioning the POTUS WHILE a conflict is still ongoing, INCLUDING calling our POTUS a liar in the Stephanopolous interview (potentially undermining American credibility in the midst of negotiating hot zones around the world), his foregin pollicy instincts are that of a "bull in a china shop" - on steroids!!!

[TreeShimmy]

So Obama....our Commander-in-Chief, misses half of his (I mean OUR) National Security briefings and the writer does a hit piece on Romney?

[marychgo]

Do I dare to hope that all of you who are complaining that Obama has failed to "attend" some high percentage of his daily security briefings understand that those briefings amount to a security adviser reading an NSC report to the President, and that Pres. Obama sometimes prefers to accept the report and READ IT HIMSELF?

[mjvwsr]

and you know this how?

[stephncjpric]

I saw that on the government website. He missed every one in the past week. He also has missed 48% of them in the past 3 years. Romney is damn right to speak up, he is exercising his freedom of speech. Someone needs to be a leader.. sad to say we don't have one now.

[RollotheNorman]

I wouldn't give Willard the sweat off my balls if I came across him in the desert dying of thirst.

[RollotheNorman]

I've seen you post beore, you're no democrat, you're a liar!

[Eco99]

He can't be trusted ... this guy is not only out of touch but I dare say worse than W and I didn't think that could be possible especially with Cheney out of the picture.

[walkthetalk]

Why? would he want go to a intelligence meeting. That's a oxymoron.

[greenlantern1]

Who lost Vietnam?
We need him to dictate our foreign affairs?

[RollotheNorman]

Actually, little RepubliCON, it was Nixon that gave us "Peace with Honor."

[walkthetalk]

President Obama gets fresh security briefs every day from his Security Advisors, His Chief Security Advisor said that, "they are Haynes and he buys them at Sears,"

[betty1122]

Bravo for Romney someone to speak up. Obama missed more the half security meetings. How strange I read this 9/10/2012 day before 9/11 when the embassy was attacked
I see Jimmy Carter
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-is-obama-skipping-more-than-half-of-his-daily-intelligence-meetings/2012/09/10/6624afe8-fb49-11e1-b153-218509a954e1_story.html


Read more: http://times247.com/articles/obama-misses-more-than-half-of-intelligence-meetings#ixzz26ImYJQ8x

[greenlantern1]

Obama missed more than half of the meetings?
Were YOU there to keep score?
Did Reagan fall asleep at his?

[KPeters_from_UK]

Betty, Betty..dear, dear........... Really? I read that link, the Tea Party link. Not bias one bit was it? Was every meeting vital? Were most of them actually simple updates? And Bush missed how many? We know that Bush had spent more time on the golf course and vacation days than Obama. Did that upset you in the last administration? Nah! You were just preachy with it.

[hhandyman]

There you are just like the film maker from California taking what is Sacred to a group of people and treating it as trash.. it only creates anger in the group your offending and that was the cause of this problem to begun with its classic snow ball effect on a huge mountain where a small bb of a snow ball can take out a sky scraper as it builds on the way down the mountain to the size of a 5 story building.. common comparisons are obvious if you are a patriot someone burning the Stars and stripes will make your blood boil or any other method of desecration of that symbol. print it on toilet tissue and use it for its intended purpose and you anger more people well any thing that is faith based like the Vestments of a priest If desiccated in a house of ill repute or used as a back drop for a hustler photo shoot and youd have people angered for that desecration what is Immoral to one group was "just in fun or Jest to another" or worse was done to inflame and start a larger problem.. that is what the problem is with what just happened.. as earl would say Wake Up America Look at what your doing from the shoes of who your doing it to and see how you'd feel.. before you cause him so much anger your the next victim of your on actions. If you are indeed a true Christian and follow the supreme rule.. Do Unto others as you'd have them do unto you then this would never of happened and that movie would never of made the net and the cause would of stopped before it started.