LONDON — Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney began a day of meetings in the British capital on Thursday by sitting down with former prime minister Tony Blair and Labor Party leader Ed Miliband.
On the first full day of his overseas tour, the former Massachusetts governor did not address policy issues in remarks to reporters, focusing instead on the Olympics, the sunnier-than-usual British weather and other feel-good topics.
“Welcome to London. It’s a pleasure to meet you here,” Miliband said. “We come from different parties and obviously different viewpoints on some issues, but I think it’s incredibly important that leaders work together and that we respect the electorates in each of our countries.
“It’s great to have you here and let me finally say it’s great to have somebody here who’s organized a successful Olympic Games.”
Romney, who led the 2002 Olympic games in Salt Lake City, said that based on his experience, “is it is impossible for absolutely no mistakes to occur. Of course there will be errors from time to time, but those are all overshadowed by the extraordinary demonstrations of courage, character and determination by the athletes.”
Romney is visiting London, Israel and Poland on a week-long trip that is meant to burnish his foreign-affairs credentials, a policy arena that is considered an area of strength for President Obama, his rival in the 2012 race.
Just before leaving the United States, he slammed Obama’s foreign policy record in a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention in Reno, Nev.
But he has said repeatedly that he will refrain from such pointed commentary while he is outside the United States.
In his appearance with Miliband, he reiterated that stance when he declined to answer a question about Britain’s economic policy. “While I’m on foreign soil, I’m very careful not to be critical of my own government’s policies,” Romney said. “I would be even more remiss if I were to be critical to any other government’s policies. I will instead look forward to an exchange o
Miliband said he and Romney would privately discuss issues including the international economy, the euro zone, Syria and Romney’s hometown baseball team, the Boston Red Sox.
Blair, now a special envoy to the Middle East, did not mention policy issues when greeting Romney in front of reporters. He, too, praised the weather, marveled at the huge crowds of people descending on London for the Olympic Games and said his fellow Brits were “very focused” on the cycling competition.
Romney told Blair he hoped to see at least one swimming event while at the Olympics.
The likely Republican nominee is also set to meet with Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne.
As Romney began his trip, a story in the London Telegraph that quoted an unnamed ”adviser” to the candidate was stirring controversy on both sides of the Atlantic. The Telegraph quoted the adviser as saying Romney appreciates the “Anglo-Saxon heritage” of the United States more than Obama does.
Romney’s spokeswoman quickly said neither Romney nor “anyone inside his campaign” holds that view.
On the first full day of his overseas tour, the former Massachusetts governor did not address policy issues in remarks to reporters, focusing instead on the Olympics, the sunnier-than-usual British weather and other feel-good topics.
“Welcome to London. It’s a pleasure to meet you here,” Miliband said. “We come from different parties and obviously different viewpoints on some issues, but I think it’s incredibly important that leaders work together and that we respect the electorates in each of our countries.
“It’s great to have you here and let me finally say it’s great to have somebody here who’s organized a successful Olympic Games.”
Romney, who led the 2002 Olympic games in Salt Lake City, said that based on his experience, “is it is impossible for absolutely no mistakes to occur. Of course there will be errors from time to time, but those are all overshadowed by the extraordinary demonstrations of courage, character and determination by the athletes.”
Romney is visiting London, Israel and Poland on a week-long trip that is meant to burnish his foreign-affairs credentials, a policy arena that is considered an area of strength for President Obama, his rival in the 2012 race.
Just before leaving the United States, he slammed Obama’s foreign policy record in a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention in Reno, Nev.
But he has said repeatedly that he will refrain from such pointed commentary while he is outside the United States.
In his appearance with Miliband, he reiterated that stance when he declined to answer a question about Britain’s economic policy. “While I’m on foreign soil, I’m very careful not to be critical of my own government’s policies,” Romney said. “I would be even more remiss if I were to be critical to any other government’s policies. I will instead look forward to an exchange o
Miliband said he and Romney would privately discuss issues including the international economy, the euro zone, Syria and Romney’s hometown baseball team, the Boston Red Sox.
Blair, now a special envoy to the Middle East, did not mention policy issues when greeting Romney in front of reporters. He, too, praised the weather, marveled at the huge crowds of people descending on London for the Olympic Games and said his fellow Brits were “very focused” on the cycling competition.
Romney told Blair he hoped to see at least one swimming event while at the Olympics.
The likely Republican nominee is also set to meet with Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne.
As Romney began his trip, a story in the London Telegraph that quoted an unnamed ”adviser” to the candidate was stirring controversy on both sides of the Atlantic. The Telegraph quoted the adviser as saying Romney appreciates the “Anglo-Saxon heritage” of the United States more than Obama does.
Romney’s spokeswoman quickly said neither Romney nor “anyone inside his campaign” holds that view.