MITT ROMNEY STEPS ON HIS CAMPAIGN ENTRANCE ONTO THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE IN LONDON............

In an interview with NBC Nightly News Anchor and Managing Editor Brian Williams, before his departure for London, England and the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics Games, Governor Mitt Romney, about to become the 2012 Republican Presidential standardbearer, stepped on his presidential campaign's international spotlight, by questioning the readiness and responsiveness of the United Kingdom for the Olympics.  Romney responded to a Williams question about the Summer Olympics, saying there were, "disconcerting", signs leading up to the 2012 Olympics.  "The stories about the private security firms not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging...Do they come together and celebrate the Olympic moment ?...And that's something we only find out once the games actually begin".  Even before meeting with current British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister responded to Romney's statement, upbraiding the criticism of the people of the United Kingdom and contrasting organizing the Olympic Games in one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities and what Cameron described as, "the middle of nowhere", (Salt Lake City, Utah).  Prime Minister Cameron went on to say, "I think we will show the whole world that we not only come together as a United Kingdom, but also we're extremely good at welcoming people from around the world.  I will obviously make those points to Mitt Romney.  I look forward to meeting him".
Such a gaffe by presidential candidate Romney seeking to be seen as an effective player on the international stage and increase his visibility as a viable leader in world affairs, overshadows the positive contribution his visit makes to his foreign relations bonafides.  Upon exiting 10 Downing Street and a meeting with Prime Minister Cameron, Governor Romney stepped before the members of the press and attempted to pull back the tenor of his comments regarding the preparations for the London Olympics, saying mistakes always occur in the first few days of the Games and are resolved, as the Immigration and Customs concerns he criticized in the NBC News interview, have been resolved.   To insult any nation in the course of this or any electoral campaign is an but certain mistake, thus even more so is insulting our chief, number one ally, Great Britain.  Romney's attendance at the Olympics Opening Ceremonies tomorrow night may also now be affected by less a warm reception if the response of Londoners at an Olympics rally today at which the Mayor of London questioned the rightness of Romney's criticism primed them with assertions of Britain's readiness with the Olympics.  It would be wise of the Romney staff to see that his presence is not played up, as it could well result in a derisive response from the Britons who are proud of the 2012 Summer Olympics they are hosting, as much as Romney himself relishes burnishing his own credentials with the 2002 Winter Olympics he is widely said to have rescued............Fr.  Troy