I saw this at The Political Pit Bull. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has denounced Khatami's visit to Harvard and has refused to allow any state resources to be used for his visit:
Governor Mitt Romney today ordered all Massachusetts state government agencies to decline support, if asked, for former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami's September 10 visit to the Boston area, where he is scheduled to speak at Harvard University.
"State taxpayers should not be providing special treatment to an individual who supports violent jihad and the destruction of Israel," said Romney.Romney's action means that Khatami will be denied an official police escort and other VIP treatment when he is in town. The federal government provides security through the U.S. State Department.
Romney criticized Harvard for honoring Khatami by inviting him to speak, calling it "a disgrace to the memory of all Americans who have lost their lives at the hands of extremists, especially on the eve of the five-year anniversary of 9/11."
Said Romney: "The U.S. State Department listed Khatami's Iran as the number one state sponsor of terrorism. Within his own country, Khatami oversaw the torture and murder of dissidents who spoke out for freedom and democracy. For him to lecture Americans about tolerance and violence is propaganda, pure and simple."
Romney cited a litany of hateful actions by Khatami, including his support for violent jihadist activities:
During the period of time he was in office, from 1997 to 2005, Khatami presided over Iran's secret nuclear program. Currently, the Iranian Government under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is snubbing the international community's request to cease nuclear weapons production.
In the recent conflict along the Israel-Lebanon border, Khatami described the terrorist group Hezbollah as a "shining sun that illuminates and warms the hearts of all Muslims and supporters of freedom in the world."
Khatami has endorsed Ahmadinejad's call for the annihilation of Israel.
I'm liking Mitt Romney more and more.
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Comments (13)
Romney and Guiliani are at ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by pjaykc | September 5, 2006 7:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Romney and Guiliani are at the top of my list right now. Seems like they're the only ones with gumption enough to say what needs to be said. This reminds me of Rudy refusing the money from the Saudi guy after 9:11.
1. Posted by pjaykc | September 5, 2006 7:19 PM |
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Posted on September 5, 2006 19:19
2. Posted by DirtCrashr | September 5, 2006 7:20 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Hot damn! He's got some guts, good for him!
2. Posted by DirtCrashr | September 5, 2006 7:20 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 5, 2006 19:20
3. Posted by OregonMuse | September 5, 2006 9:50 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Whining, disingenuous criticism of Governor Romney coming from Muslim Unity in
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3. Posted by OregonMuse | September 5, 2006 9:50 PM |
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Posted on September 5, 2006 21:50
4. Posted by Scrapiron | September 5, 2006 11:55 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Dont worry about the muslim terrorist whining about Romney, wait until the democrats wake up and start on him.
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4. Posted by Scrapiron | September 5, 2006 11:55 PM |
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Posted on September 5, 2006 23:55
5. Posted by Jim Addison | September 6, 2006 12:24 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Bush must have been insane when he approved this visa. There is simply no excuse for it.
If it were really for some "back-channel" diplomacy, the meeting would be held in a discreet Parisian salon, and our representative would most emphatically NOT be Jimmy Carter.
Carter has done little but aid the enemies of America since taking office.
5. Posted by Jim Addison | September 6, 2006 12:24 AM |
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Posted on September 6, 2006 00:24
6. Posted by Cheryl | September 6, 2006 12:25 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
He was able to come in and clean up the mess here in Salt Lake for the Olympic games, He did an excellent job. It is too bad that people are unwilling to vote for him should he run for president simply because of his religious beliefs... I am proud to say I think he would be an excellent President. He is Patriotic, stong minded, Intellegent, Kind and has many other attributes that qualify. We need someone to continue the fight against Terrorism while upholding our Rights .. I believe He can do that.
6. Posted by Cheryl | September 6, 2006 12:25 AM |
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Posted on September 6, 2006 00:25
7. Posted by Nell | September 6, 2006 1:06 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
How refreshing that a politician can get indignant over something that actually is an outrage. And his chin didn't quiver or anything?
I'll take a Mormon with a spine over a liberal with a secret plan any day.
7. Posted by Nell | September 6, 2006 1:06 AM |
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Posted on September 6, 2006 01:06
8. Posted by Darleen | September 6, 2006 1:42 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Jim Addison
It wasn't GW's but the State Dept's call...and as you may have seen via the Plame kerfuffle, the State Department isn't really in GW's corner and they like keeping things from him.
8. Posted by Darleen | September 6, 2006 1:42 AM |
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Posted on September 6, 2006 01:42
9. Posted by Headzero | September 6, 2006 3:27 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Loss of points for Mitt - the one moderate leader of Iran that reached out to us, gets spit on by someone in line to be president.
Shit like this comes back later and hurts campaignes.
Not like he was high on my list anyway, but overall not a good move. Still waiting for Condi to toss her hat, leather boots, etc, into the ring an announce - probably waiting for Hillary to announce and then ride the pre built media frenzy.
Mitt's action will raise its ugly head later if he decides to run and it will be pounded by the media as righ wing intolerance. There will be a bit of stink raised of the next week on this in the media - but it will be just to build the base of referal articles to come out a year from now.
9. Posted by Headzero | September 6, 2006 3:27 AM |
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Posted on September 6, 2006 03:27
10. Posted by Jim Addison | September 6, 2006 4:00 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Darlene ~ The State Department issued the visa, true, but on a figure from a major antagonist, it had to be cleared further up the food chain.
If such a sensitive action was NOT vetted before issuance, whichever was the highest-ranking bureaucrat who approved it, and decided NOT to kick it upstairs first, should be fired on the spot.
10. Posted by Jim Addison | September 6, 2006 4:00 AM |
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Posted on September 6, 2006 04:00
11. Posted by Baggi | September 6, 2006 5:43 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Mitt is the man!
I'm not interested in Rudy, or John or even Newt for 2008. After Allen's flub recently, i'm not really interested in him anymore either. So unless someone better steps up, Mitt is the man for 2008.
Only, as an evangelical Christian ive been told by the MSM that i'm not supposed to vote for Mormon's.
Hmmm, the Clintons are Christian, right? Guess i'm supposed to vote for them.
11. Posted by Baggi | September 6, 2006 5:43 AM |
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Posted on September 6, 2006 05:43
12. Posted by Oyster | September 6, 2006 7:54 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"...it had to be cleared further up the food chain."
Had to? Or you just think it had to? Unless he's not on the terror list, the State Department uses it's own judgement. And their judgement proves time and time again to be questionable at best. Ramatullah Hashemi comes immediately to mind. By your standards, the whole State Department should have been fired a long time ago. This is not to say that I disagree with you on that point.
12. Posted by Oyster | September 6, 2006 7:54 AM |
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Posted on September 6, 2006 07:54
13. Posted by wavemaker | September 7, 2006 10:55 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Cheryl, where do you get the idea that people won't vote for Mitt because he's a Mormon??
13. Posted by wavemaker | September 7, 2006 10:55 AM |
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Posted on September 7, 2006 10:55