Romney aide loses cool, curses at press in Poland
Warsaw, Poland (CNN) - The traveling press secretary for Mitt Romney lost his cool and cursed at reporters who attempted to ask questions of the Republican presidential candidate in a public plaza near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw Tuesday.
After Romney paid his respects to Poland's war dead and shook hands with a small gathering of the nation's military veterans, the GOP contender walked approximately 100 yards away from the memorial as he chatted with Warsaw's mayor.
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As Romney made his way to his vehicle, reporters attempted to shout questions to the candidate. The former Massachusetts governor, who has answered only three questions from his traveling press corps during a week-long overseas trip, ignored the queries. Romney did sit down for multiple interviews during his foreign swing, including with CNN's Piers Morgan and Wolf Blitzer. Romney also spoke with NBC News, CBS News, ABC News and Fox News during his trip.
When members of the press tried to ask Romney about some of the mishaps on his trip, his traveling press secretary Rick Gorka verbally dressed down reporters.
Here's a transcript of the questions and Gorka's response:
CNN: "Governor Romney are you concerned about some of the mishaps of your trip?
NYT: "Governor Romney do you have a statement for the Palestinians?
Washington Post: "What about your gaffes?
NYT: "Governor Romney do you feel that your gaffes have overshadowed your foreign trip?"
CNN: "Governor Romney just a few questions sir, you haven't taken but three questions on this trip from the press!
Gorka: "Show some respect"
NYT: "We haven't had another chance to ask a question..."
Gorka: "Kiss my ass. This is a Holy site for the Polish people. Show some respect."
Moments later, Gorka told Jonathan Martin, a reporter for Politico, to "shove it." About a half-hour later, the aide called reporters to apologize.
Gorka's comments to the media came just hours before Romney's foreign policy speech in Warsaw.
Aides to the GOP candidate say Romney visited Poland to highlight the nation's growing economy and honor its contributions to the war in Afghanistan.
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Way to go, keep dodging questions you know you don't have answers for.
I might well have said something worse. This pack of press hyenas was in full bay. If Romney tells the truth-it's a gaffe. Describing Mahmoud Abbas as a "world leader" who was offended by a Romney statement is itself a "gaffe" by press corps standards.
The best the GOP has to offer, huh?
Real class act! Romney and his traveling, bumbling circus. Definitely NOT presidential. OBAMA 2012!!!
Look for more of this in a Romney Administration..... Ducking questions and acting like a Dictator instead of a Preisdent.
good job! most of these "reporters" are nothing but self-centered jerks hoping for their 10 minutes of fame at someone elses expense!
Gorka should be the vp for romney. I like this guy.
And the repubs want this guy for President? Can't even handle reporters, something that actors do every day. He has stated he will start a war with Iran. He will repeal ACA, and increase the defense budget instead. What is he going to do about our economic issues? Well, based on his past experience, he will sell off US assets (maybe Yellowstone?) and strip jobs and ship them all overseas. Our government will be run by India.
Pshaw! What a moron!
The press (and the public) get a little frustrated when the candidate doesn't take any questions. I guess that Romney needs to consider his response to gaffes from his London visit.
Such maturity and adult behavior.
Typical: Romney and his people don't want to be accountable for their words or actions.
The arrogance of his press secretary is matched only by that of the candidate. Mitt Romney clearly is way out of his comfort zone if he is not among the tenth-of-one-percenters.
Just another example of a politician who can't and will not tell the truth. Do we really want to have this Mormon liar for a president. He hasn't told the truth about anything yet. The only thing he does right is insult the American people. All he has done so far is make enemies out of our friends. I think he is trying to make our European friends hate Obama. This country is already in the garbage dump. We don't need any help from him. Has he said any thing about helping our economy? NO. Has he said anything about bringing our jobs back from overseas? NO. Has he said anything about helping the middle class? NO. What HAS he said? Anything? He hides behind the law. He only wants to get in office so he can make MORE money by passing laws that will protect the rich.
Taking lessons from Biden, huh.
Wow, a series of biased and leading questions, irritated Romney's aide? He will need to get used to that.
a bit of honesty from the politicos – a heart felt flipping of the bird. its human and terrific. fresh. but even when all these insider power guys are smiling and spewing newspeak, they're invisibly flipping you an even bigger bird.
Why did he want the reporter to kiss Mr Romney.
Let me know when Obama is asked the same string of negative questions. Of course it would be hard to answer questions while golfing. When was the last time Obama met with his jobs council? Oh, nevermind, the economy is stalling again, but we need to know about Romney's dog thirty years ago.
Heh heh. "This is a holy site, kiss my a$$." Of course gaffes are really tall animals, so they do overshadow things...
How a candidate for elected office conducts their campaign is a good measure of how that candidate would conduct their self in the elected office.
If you're going to drop a "Kiss My Ass" at this point, you really need to find a new career. Mitt likes firing people – he better pink slip this loser
"Show some respect," Romney aide said...then he cursed. The gaffes just keep on coming!
The more questions Romney answers the less chance he has on getting elected.
Very diplomatic..... Romney is a fool.
So yelling a question to the President during an announcement is disrespectful, yelling questions at the tomb of the unknown isn't...got it.