Romney: Man of Year choice 'disgusting'
Romney is not happy with Time Magazine's choice.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Count Republican Mitt Romney among those who aren't happy with Time Magazine's choice of Russian President Vladimir Putin for Person of the Year.
In an interview with CNN's Glenn Beck, the presidential candidate called the choice "disgusting."
"You know, he imprisoned his political opponents. There have been a number of highly suspicious murders," Romney said on Beck's radio show. "He has squelched public dissent and free press. And to suggest that someone like that is the Man of the Year is really disgusting. I'm just appalled."
"Clearly General Petraeus is the person, or one of a few people, who would certainly merit that designation," the former Massachusetts governor added.
Rival presidential candidate John McCain also said Wednesday he disagreed with the choice.
“I noticed that Time Magazine made President Putin the Time Magazine ‘Man of the Year,’” McCain said, according to NBC. “I understand that probably, but my man of the year is one Gen. David Petraeus, our general who has brought success in Iraq.”
Time Magazine: A Tsar Is Born
Watch: Why Time chose Putin
- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
This is exactly why I would never vote for a man like Mitt Romney. He is completely clueless. He also panders to the general uninformed public.
Time Magazine has chosen many controversial people since they first started making the choice back in 1927.
Time Magazine chose Adolph Hitler as man of the year in 1938. They also chose Joseph Stalin twice, Nikita Khrushchev, and Ayatollah Khomeini.
The Man of the Year, or Person of the Year since women have been chosen as well, is not at all a popularity contest or a touchy feel hug fest. It is a person who has had a lasting impact on the world community.
No matter. Mitt will fade into obscurity after the primaries are over.
"He's an honest, straightforward man who loves his country. He loves his family. We share a lot of values. I view him as a remarkable leader. I believe his leadership will serve Russia well"
George W. Bush speaking about Putin June, 2001.
Ooopsie...yet another thing a Republican said that turned out not to be true. Can't they just get one thing right?
apparently Romney is too dumb to comprehend what the "person of the year" award actually means: it's given to someone who has had a great impact on the world, or who is important in some key way. Sometimes it is an accolade, but other times it is not. Mr. Romney should brush up on his history, and see that Time chose Adolf Hitler as Man of the Year once, back in the day. What a moron.
You liberals are unbelievable. Do you really think Putin believes in equality? Do you really think people in Russia respect him? World leaders respect him too? To top it all off, you blame George W. Bush for everything, instead of attacking Putin for his arrogant assault against democracy. I find it amusing that you Dems refuse see that people like Putin, Chavez, and numerous radical Muslim terrorists utilize the same rhetoric as Clinton, Obama and Edwards. Interesting, isn't it?
I'd support Petraeus as Man of the Year; by lying to the American people, he showed us just how deep in the pockets of the neocons we've all fallen.
Gen. David Petraeus????
BWA HAHA HAHA HA HA HA HA!!!
That is too funny!
Mitt Romney and John McCain are so ignorant of the fact that Putin has succeded Russia from great depression imposing lots of reforms. During 1998 for almost 10 years the Russian rubble has devalued so much that people have alsmost lost their entire life savings. And now with Putin in power he has regained the value of the rubble and brought prosparity to the country. He certainly deserves the credit. And look at what Bush has done to this country! The gap between rich and poor has widened, deficis are at record level, our national debt has gone from 1 trillion to 9.1 trillion, illegal war has drained all the resources, and constitution is been trampled. And still Romney and McCain still consideres Bush as a great leader to get votes from their conservative base. The problem with some voters that they don't read and do not know what is happening ourside US. Wake up America and make a big change in 2008. We don't need people like Romney-McCain-Guliani who are following Bush.
"Chimpy McSmirkster". I love it. Classic!
Only a complete and total ignorant full would compare the actions of Bush to the actions of Putin. I have yet to see any presidential candidates thrown in jail on trumped up charges. Also no civil liberties have yet to be taken away. Not to mention the fact that when it comes to elections in the US there is actual competition between the two parties unlike the massive domination of politics by one party in Russia with absolutely no other party capable of winning.
Name one time where we have refused to give visas to another country to come and monitor our elections and you might have a point. However as usual those who are so blinded by their hate of Bush can't logically comprehend the idiocy of the comparison of Bush and Putin.
Please read the folg. article and you will understand why Putin is the man of the year!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/07/AR2007120701617.html
By the way, Putin's approval rating in Russia is mote than 70% whereas Bush's is less than 30%.
I want to let every person that agrees with what Romney says know, that you are not smart.
For the last time, Time does not give this out as a honor, but who has impacted society the most.
No, Mitt – what is disgusting is that you say you are pro-life, yet support the torturing of detainees in Cuba. Isn't it ironic that at the same time the DoD releases tapes of Iraqi torture chamber images, the CIA is destroying tapes of USA torture chambers? Shame on you and all the hyprocrites who are running on "morality" yet have no sense of what that is!
"... our general [Petraeus] who has brought success in Iraq.” If this is what success is, I wonder how McCain defines failure.
I agree,
Putin is a much better leader than our president and Putin has the respect of his nation and of other world leaders.
Which is such a contrast to our president who's approval rating is at an all time low. Keep spending that 10 billion per month on the Iraq war!
"He has squelched public dissent and free press. And to suggest that someone like that is the Man of the Year is really disgusting. I'm just appalled." Mitt-the-Nitt
Switch in 'president of the US' for 'Man of the Year' in the above, and you will see, Mitt, exactly how over 1/2 of this country feels....about something much more important that a silly magazine's recognition. And by the way, that same feeling will linger if you happen to make it to the white house, Mitt. Its about both you, Mitt, and a journalism/media that no longer does its job. The dumbing-down of America runs apace, and the Karlidiots on the 'right' are loving it.
I'm not fond of Romney, but some of the comments below just sound ignorant. I have to agree with Romney's comment regarding Time Magazine's choice to title Putin "Man of the Year." I can think of at the very least, 10 people better suited to hold that position and Putin is NOT one of them.
Time magazine trys to sell their rag. This type of pick works. Why should a business decision surprise anyone?
Is Bill from Blooington, IL (10:11am) for real? Guess which way he is voting in the upcoming election?
Who wants to stand by Bill, and vote the way he does, and celebrate another 4+ years of lieing, backsliding, failure? Who wants to vote to continue sending America back to the Dark Ages? Then step up and join the [R]-bots in their holy quest to re-formulate our country, while you hypocritically wrap yourself in the flag and consitution!
Time Magazine has their own criteria for their "Person of the Year". I couldn't care less–it sure wasn't me, and it sure wasn't you Mr. Romney.
Fact is, your comments and other GOP are not part of the public discourse–do you think "if you are elected President" (like the moon is made of green cheese...) your public comments related to Mr. Putin may make political discourse with him, or Russia just a tad more difficult?
Truthfully, I've seen leaders put more thought into putting on their socks–than you or the "quick shot" artists of the GOP–have given to discrediting an allied world leader and business associate of the United States.
Are we back into the cold war? Some of the things our current President has done on the U.S. and world stage–could be viewed similarly in other countries. I do hope their leaders have a little more self control–than you and some of the other candidates have shown. What a dope!!
Time magazine must be loving all these comments. Gives them publicity for a magazine tradition that died long ago.
I love how people in there bashing comments put the negative of putin with bush and then put the negative of bush with romney. Makes a whole lot of sense?!?!
Though I don't think I would have taken Patreus as man of the year I definately wouldn't have taken Putin. Regardless, Romney and McCain have always thought about the United States first and foremost.
Romney comes off as an American who is conservative in beliefs like the Republican party but doesn't have all the other foreign Policy problems that most republicans do. He works for the people of the country first and foremost. I like that!
If I read the articles and heard the interviews correctly, the choice was based on the individual having had the greatest impact over the past year. Although I may disagree with some of his policies, Mr. Putin is an individual of whom we should all be more aware. As previously stated, it's not the individual who does the most good – or for that matter the one who has the most money – but the individual who has had the greatest impact. Russia is back in play – big time – and we need to be conscious of that.
I would rather have Putin as Man of the year than Neo-con fascist Bush or Romney, at least Putin is honest about his politics, Bush and the rest of the neo-con fascist pretend to support democracy, Ha Ha Ha Ha, what a joke.
"OK Mitt….here's your quote:
"He has squelched public dissent and free press".
The exact same thing that the Bush regime has done to their oppontents. Isn't this the pot calling the kettle black?"
Got proof of Bush doing that?
By the way, the next President will not have to deal with Vladimir Putin as a head of state. His term expires May 2008 and he cannot run again.
Posted By Kerry, San Jose, CA
Pay attention. Putin's term as President of Russia will expire in May 2008. He has all but assured the election of his protege, Dimitry Medvedev, who returned the favor by promising to make Putin the prime minister of Russia if he's elected. When the next U.S. president deals with Russia, he or she will be dealing with Vladimir Putin, even if he happens to call himself Dimitry Medvedev on occasion.
I'll bet you wish you could grow the economy at 7% annually, huh? If only it were that easy. It takes a lot of smarts to do that.
No, it takes an idiot to do so. Rapid growth rates have HISTORICALLY PROVEN to be unstable. Growing too fast continues to cause most economic relapses. The US economy is well regulated for growth rate, Russia's GDP is mainly from tapping it's natural resources. The US is still waiting to tap it's oil on both coasts and Alaska. I would worry very little about the state of the economy if I were you. These tribulations are very short term problems. Unless we make more stupid legislation like regulating gas mileage beyond the limits of basic energy balances (Ethanol costs more energy than it saves!).