Mitt Romney not backing down after Medvedev blasts him for calling Russia the ... - Boston.com

By Callum Borchers, Globe Correspondent

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Mitt Romney of being out of touch and using blockbuster-style bombast Tuesday, a day after the Republican presidential frontrunner called Russia the United States' "number one geopolitical foe."

"It is very reminiscent of Hollywood and also of a certain phase in Russian-US relations," Medvedev said in Seoul, where a nuclear security summit concluded Tuesday.

"We are in 2012 and not the mid-1970s," he added.

Romney made the "geopolitical foe" comment on Monday, during an interview on CNN. The former Massachusetts governor chided President Obama for an exchange with Medvedev that was meant to be private but was picked up by a live microphone.

"After my election, I have more flexibility" on missile defense, Obama told Medvedev.

Romney criticized Obama for both the content and the intended secrecy of his message: "If he suggests to Russia that he has things he's willing to do with them that he's not willing to tell the American people — this is to Russia. This is without question our number one geopolitical foe. They fight every cause for the world's worst actors."

Medvedev characterized Romney's position as unreasonable and suggested it might hurt his candidacy. "I would recommend all US presidential candidates ... when phrasing their position one needs to use one's head, one's good reason, which would not do harm to a presidential candidate."

Romney also took criticism from within his own party. House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday that "while the president is overseas, I think it's appropriate that people not be critical of him or of our country."

But Romney refused to backtrack Tuesday in a statement issued by his policy director, Lanhee Chen.

"In contrast to President Obama, Governor Romney is clear-eyed about the geopolitical challenges Russia poses," Chen said. "Russia's nuclear arsenal, its energy resources, its geographic position astride Europe and Asia, the veto it wields on the UN Security Council, and the creeping authoritarianism of its government make Russia a unique geopolitical problem that frustrates progress on numerous issues of vital concern to the United States."

Callum Borchers can be reached at callum.borchers@gmail.com. Follow him @callumborchers.