Obama: Romney shoots first, aims later

Updated 6:07 p.m. Eastern Time

(CBS News) In response to Mitt Romney's criticism of the Obama administration for its handling of recent violence in Egypt and Libya, President Obama told CBS News on Wednesday that Romney "seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later."

"There's a broader lesson to be learned here," Mr. Obama told "60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft at the White House. "And I -- you know, Governor Romney seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later. And as president, one of the things I've learned is you can't do that. That, you know, it's important for you to make sure that the statements that you make are backed up by the facts. And that you've thought through the ramifications before you make 'em."

Asked if Romney's attacks were irresponsible, the president replied, "I'll let the American people judge that."

Romney's campaign released a statement on Tuesday night -- Sept. 11 -- asserting "that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks." The criticism was in response to a statement put out by the U.S. embassy in Egypt, not the Obama administration. In addition, the embassy statement was released in an apparent effort to head off any possible violence. At the time, there were no attacks to condemn.

On Wednesday morning, Romney stood by the statement despite criticism that he was injecting politics into a national tragedy, telling reporters the president is acting "in apology for our values."

"I also believe the administration was wrong to stand by a statement sympathizing with those who had breached our embassy in Egypt, instead of condemning their actions," Romney said. The claim came despite the fact that the administration had actually distanced itself from the embassy's statement, something Romney acknowledged during the press conference.

"It's never too early for the United States government to condemn attacks on Americans and to defend our values," Romney added.

Steve Schmidt, senior campaign strategist to Sen. John McCain in McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, told CBS News Wednesday that Romney's "comments were a big mistake, and the decision to double down on them was an even bigger mistake." 

"There are legitimate criticisms to be made but you foreclose on your ability to make them when you try to score easy political points," he said. "And the American people, when the country is attacked, whether they're a Republican or Democrat or independent, want to see leaders who have measured responses, not leaders whose first instinct is to try to score political points."

In a statement to CBS News, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright said, "Governor Romney's ill-advised and politically-motivated statement last night concerning the tragedy in Benghazi is deeply regrettable."

"Our nation should stand as one in condemning the lawless attacks on American diplomatic personnel and in doing everything possible to see that such attacks are not repeated," she added.

Four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens, were killed after an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi tied to the production of an amateur anti-Islam film. (That attack appears to have been independent of the Cairo violence, but both appear to have been related to the production of the film.) Romney's initial statement was released before the killings, but his comments standing by it came afterward.

[abunudnik]

According to Obama the bigger issue is that Obama is better than Romney but obviously the bigger issue is that appeasement will not work with Islamofascists. What's worse is that the Obama foreign policy has been a potpourri of mixed signals. Kill Osama! Victory dance! Close Gitmo. Oh, maybe not. Try Rahman in a New York court... don't worry, you should see the evidence we have... oh wait, that sounds a bit like a show trial... hmm... ok... we'll try him by the Tribunals we formerly opposed. Hey! This foreign policy is a disaster and Romney was right. It was disgusting to blame the victims in Cairo. It was disgusting to pretend the crowds were movie critics. It was disgusting to lie to the American people for so long. It was disgusting to take personal umbrage instead of mourning an ambassador. It was disgusting for Hillary Clinton to mouth the words "I take responsibility and therefore have submitted my resignation." Just kidding about the resignation: that's what people do when they really do take responsibility instead of pretending to. It was disgusting for her to say the emails are "not in themselves evidence" (Yeah, it depends what the meaning of the word "is" is.) It was and is disgusting that only CBS and Reuters are breaking this story.

[mrsgator7]

Romney has been vindicated and you obama shills are seeing the house of cards is crumbling.....

[DrDonald]

Mitt Romney was recently described by the President as one who shoots first and then aims. I think there is so much wrong with the Obama presidency that a shot in any direction is bound to find a legitimate target.

[Aerostar700]

The President Missed Security Briefings On Days When Warnings Of Possible Attacks Were being received; And No Orders Were Ever Given To
Increase Security Measures At Those Targeted Installations? And All You Want To Focus On Is Romney's Criticism Of That Obvious Gross
Incompetence On The part Of The President?

And Now There Is A Concerted Effort On The Part Of The White House To Deflect Attention Away From those Advance Warnings And focus
upon the video, Yet You Are Obsessed with focusing Upon The Candidate's Words? People DIED as a result of the incompetence of this
president and you focus on trivial matters?

According to senior diplomatic sources, the US State Department had credible information about potential violent attacks at least
48 hours before the mobs charged the consulate in Benghazi, & the embassy in Cairo. Unfortunately the command structure broke down.

Either that information never made it into a security briefing which is difficult to believe, or perhaps no one in authority ever saw
the information. In either case, no orders were ever issued for any type of increased security measures to be deployed.

And in either case it raises some very serious questions indeed. Are we dealing with a breakdown at the State department, The CIA or
perhaps the President's unwillingness to take live security briefings, preferring in many cases to simply read the written briefing.

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2012/09/14/did-u-s-know-about-embassy-attack-threat-in-advance/

http://wizbangblog.com/2012/09/13/bombshell-us-had-credible-warning-48-hours-before-benghazi-attack-but-did-nothing/

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/09/america_was_warned_of_libya_consulate_attack_and_did_nothing_uk_independent.html

http://www.timesofisrael.com/report-us-government-knew-of-possible-attacks-on-diplomatic-missions/

http://www.newser.com/story/154044/brit-paper-says-us-ignored-warnings-of-violence.html

Nothing like having an AMATEUR at the helm who feels that it is OK to skip his security briefings to campaign or play golf.
Had Obama made it a point to take the daily security briefings every day, he probably would have learned of the threat of
the impending attack. Obama SAYS he READ the briefing? Can we believe him? And if he did read them, then WHY did he not
see the danger and take steps to mitigate that danger with increased marine presence?

And as it turns out, the US Marines in Egypt were not even allowed to carry live ammo!

http://freebeacon.com/reports-marines-not-permitted-live-ammo/

http://nation.time.com/2012/09/13/whats-worse-no-marines-or-possibly-unarmed-marines/

EPIC FAIL !!

[JV1970]

I can hardly wait until election night! I'm going to have the most fun and best laugh that I've had in years when I go to my computer and log on and go to the CBSNEWS website and start reading about all of the crying and whining that the libs are doing because they didn't get their way! The big babies are going to put up such a howl that if the people in Australia listen closely they'll be able to hear them!

While they are putting up their howl I'll be laughing hysterically and gleefully typing "I TOLD YOU SO! I TOLD YOU SO! I TOLD YOU SO! I - TOLD - YOU - SO! I TOLD YOU SO!" I'm going to LOVE it!

[Mick_from_Amsterdam]

Isn't that the same comment you posted here four years ago, JV...but with a few minor revisions?

Delicious images of Democrats kicking and screaming in pain as the McCain/Palin ticket was swept into the White House...or was it the Palin/McCain ticket?

The thrust of your comments, here, JV...has always concerned itself with the imagined suffering of those who disagree with you and your constantly changing objects of worship...rather than on any ideological grounds...

You just want to tower over cringing, whining opponents on the morning after election day, bellowing, "I TOLD YOU SO! I TOLD YOU SO! I TOLD YOU SO! I - TOLD - YOU - SO! I TOLD YOU SO!"

Everyone should have a goal in life, JV...but most are not so mean-spirited, twisted AND unchristian (whatever the hell that is)

As are your Sado-masochistic fantisies of conservative domination and the casting out of all liberals in government, as well as the chastising of the wicked and disloyal media with lenghty prison terms...starting with Jane Pauly

[zenia5]

JV1970 claims she is in her 50's I believe, but ...WOW....what a childish rant. Her immaturity is only exceeded by her ignorance and irrationality. EVERY candidate she has been "cheerleader" for has LOST ... and I'll make a very large bet that this one will be no different. She will scream and yell that she "lives by the bible" and is such a christian ... she's apparently a "cafeteria christian" who picks and chooses to live by only those passages that fit her warped agenda.

[truthenjustice]

Obama doesn't shoot, he just takes credit for it.

[WorkingSlob]

Maybe Obama should have shot first, instead of Americans being killed in cold blood. He never even contacted the Libyan President since he was elected in June to discuss security for our people in that country. Obama has disgraced this country and diminished its respect by saying where sorry for our actions instead of backing this country. The United States is now viewed as weak in the world thanks to him.

[Blue_state_Evie]

How can so much stupidity exist?? I have a child at a foreign embassy. He is not there to harm anyone!! Obama's policy of appeasement and apology is a non position. He freely gives up all of our people serving overseas, no matter what role they serve. Do you all just choose to forget how critical he was of President Bush while we were at war? Why should he be fund raising in Vegas when an act of war has occurred?

Subject: Quote from Audacity of hope........ by Barack Hussein Obama

"I shall stand with the muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

Now how ugly does the wind direction have to be ?

[daylin505]

People conveniently want to forget Obama said things of this sort in his book. His position hasn't changed but now he has a bunch of morons voting for him so he can continue to "FUNDAMENTALLY" change and continue to apologize for our way of life.

[truthenjustice]

GOOD NEWS! Four suspects have been arrested in the Libya Embassy attacks. Now the US Navy can disregard Obama's orders to dredge up Osama bin Laden and shoot him again.

[truthenjustice]

If there is one thing I know from 28 years of military service:

When vastly outnumbered and charged by an armed mob of blood-crazed assailants intent on killing you - Shoot first, Aim later!

[BWB2020]

Your military service didn't teach you common sense, it seems.

When you are where you shouldn't be in the first place, doing that which you shouldn't be doing, the last thing you need is some idiot at the rear, claiming to be on your side, doing that which is likely to bring a mob down upon you.

I believe it was called "ghosting", often the "ghoster" was the first one shot, and at least a modicum of aim was required.

[Mick_from_Amsterdam]

Negative, truthenjustice...what branch of the military taught you that? Certainly not the Marine Corps

"When vastly outnumbered and charged by an armed mob of blood-crazed assailants intent on killing you" - you DO NOT shoot first, Aim later!

You take the time to aim first, remembering sight alignment and trigger squeeze

Better to put one well-aimed round in the guy than to crank off three or four wild, ineffective shots before he finally decides to take aim

You must have had a very noisy but unproductive 28 years, truth...but don't worry about your woeful lack of tactical awareness...

Romney doesn't seem to know what the hell he's doing either...and also makes a lot of meaningless, provocative noise...while accomplishing nothing other than the spreading of fear, divisiveness and intolerance...the top items on the GOP menu