Romney needs lesson in Diplomacy from Nixon of al people.

Mitt Romney has bee slated in the Media both in the UK and the USA for his gaffe in criticising London Preparation for the Olympics,despite only repeating what they were all been saying for weeks

He told NBC News he said,

 “a few things that were disconcerting” about London’s preparations. “The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, supposed strike of immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging,” 

His remark prompted  David Cameron and Boris Johnson to criticise him in turn .

Cameron said ,

 “We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world,” said the Prime Minister. “Of course it’s easier if you hold an Olympic Games in Utah, the sparsely populated western state where Mr Romney was chief executive of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002. the middle of nowhere.”

A   clear reference to the 2002  Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Utah  where Mr Romney was chief executive of the Salt Lake City in 2002. to, the sparsely populated western state where Mr Romney was chief executive of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002 and who was also boasting of his role in its organisation.


Romney's gaffe was not that he was repeating what the British Media and Politicians  had been raising concerns about . for ages but that he was saying it on a mission that was supposed to be a charm offensive that was going to show he was Presidential Material.


And the rule of diplomacy is Don't insult your hosts


Its a bit like a Mother who been nagging their kids to clean their room who gets angry when a friend from next door makes a comment non a visit .

"Don't you say that about my kids".

Romney  didn't realise his role was to say nice things about Britain at least when he was here.

Of course this has overshadowed what might have been seen as a bigger gaffe when he breached  protocol by disclosing that he had received an unusual briefing from Sir John Sawers, the chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), on the situation in Syria. 


Not a great start . The Americans like their Presidents to be tough with outsiders  but at the same time to be popular .


Richard Nixon regally  tops the poll of Presidents for his diplomatic skills being seen as tough but also for his Charm offensive on China.


Only Nixon can go to China "  was what was said because  the two countries had been estranged for many years, as the U.S. was ardently anti- Communist and had refused to recognise its government, and China had viewed the United States as its top enemy.


Because Nixon had an undisputed reputation of being a staunch anti-Communist, he was largely immune to any criticism of being "soft on Communism" by figures on the right of American politics.


Nixon  was visiting a perceived enemy but it was seen as a diplomatic success.


Romney in his first attempt at a Presidential style visit managed to upset his hosts who claim to have a special relationship with the US and he still got Poland and Israel to go.


Romney may think that he can turn this around by claiming to be open and blunt  but he perhaps should take a lesson from the most reviled president in US history on how to be diplomatic.