On Thursday, presumed republican nominee for 2012 presidential elections Mitt Romney visits London on his two week Europe tour, his visit was not all that welcome because of his comments on London's Olympic preparation in an NBC interview.
In a Tuesday interview on NBC, Romney called London's preparations of the big game, which opens this Friday, "disconcerting," "It's hard to know just how well it will turn out...There are a few things that were disconcerting: the stories about the private security firm not having enough people, supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging," as reported by boston.com.
Of course, his comments caused offence, so much so that even the British Prime Minister had something to say about it. Cameron told British reporters, "We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. Of course it's easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere," (thetimes.co.uk) in reference to Romney's hosting the winter games in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002.
The British press was no less in expressing their offense to the comments, with headlines such as "Who invited him? US presidential hopeful Mitt Romney questions British public's appetite for the Games during visit to London," (Daily Mail Online), "PM rebuffs Romney over readiness for Olympics," (theTimes.co.uk), "Olympics: David Cameron rejects Mitt Romney's suggestion Britain is not ready," (The Telegraph).
Shortly after the two men met, PM Cameron dilivered a speech outside the Olympic stadium, saying "Look at what we're capable of achieving as a nation, even in difficult times...Look behind me at this extraordinary Olympic Park, built from nothing in seven years," as reported by the Detroit Press.
The 2012 London Olympics will commence on July 27 i.e. on Friday and end Sunday, August 12. The entire schedule can be found here.
