Let me finish tonight with this.
Do people ever change? I wonder.
Back when he was in college, Mitt Romney demonstrated "for" the war in Vietnam. He went so far as to demonstrate for the war in the war. Like others, he liked the idea of the Vietnam War, not the reality.
Here he is again today playing war hawk. He wants the U.S. to be tougher with Russia, tougher with China, tougher—looking backward—in Libya, tougher today in Syria and, of course, toward Iran.
Toughness is a metaphor for Mr. Romney. He likes the notion of fighting, again, not so much the reality.
Why did he say what he did last night, you have to ask? Why did he put out word that President Obama was "sympathizing" with the militants attacking our embassy in Cairo and consulate in Benghazi? Obama never said he did. Even the U.S. embassy in Cairo didn't say any such thing. It merely urged people to avoid stirring up east-west hatred by mocking Islam.
There's a lesson above this all. Mitt Romney is able to be pushed, either by his own fear of missing an opportunity or his advisors pushing him. He jumps into matters before understanding them. He criticizes in a field long before he's able to build himself—and it shows.