Smith Scolds Romney For Raising Obama's Un-Reaganesque Iran Response

June 24th, 2009 8:00 AM

When Harry Smith interviewed Pres. Obama earlier this week, I noted that his idea of "speaking truth to power" was to suggest Bo the dog was out of control.  
But when Smith had a Republican in his sights this morning, the mild-mannered Early Show host suddenly went Rambo.  Raising his finger, Smith scolded Mitt Romney for pointing out that Pres. Obama's response to the Iranian repression fell far short of Ronald Reagan's "tear down this wall" reproach to the Soviets.

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HARRY SMITH: We've heard much stronger language from President Obama yesterday.  Beyond language, though, is there anything, really anything, this administration can do beyond just condemning the behavior of the regime?
MITT ROMNEY: Well I'm glad the president finally did rise to the occasion here. It was not exactly a Ronald Reagan, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" moment.

Smith leapt to PBO's defense, while admonishing Romney.

SMITH: Very different circumstances that have been trotted out by Republicans for the last five or six days now. That was a crumbling regime on its last legs. Let's talk about this in realistic terms.