Republican Rumor of the Winston Churchill Bust Officially Busted (Updates)
President Barack Obama shows Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom a bust of Sir Winston Churchill in the private residence of the White House, July 20, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Recently — especially in view of Mr. Romney’s highly successful inaugural “presidential” visit to England — there have been many rumors swirling around in the conservative media (and by its echo chamber) about that dastardly removal of the bust of Winston Churchill from the Oval Office by President Obama who in turn shipped it off to the British Embassy.
Now, whenever allegations are made about Mr. Romney, his supporters immediately demand (and do) some serious “fact-checking.”
Well, here is some fact-checking on this outrageous rumor by none other than the White House itself:
Now, normally we wouldn’t address a rumor that’s so patently false, but just this morning the Washington Post’s Charles Krauthammer repeated this ridiculous claim in his column. He said President Obama “started his Presidency by returning to the British Embassy the bust of Winston Churchill that had graced the Oval Office.”
This is 100% false. The bust still in the White House. In the Residence. Outside the Treaty Room.
News outlets have debunked this claim time and again. First, back in 2010 the National Journal reported that “the Churchill bust was relocated to a prominent spot in the residence to make room for Abraham Lincoln, a figure from whom the first African-American occupant of the Oval Office might well draw inspiration in difficult times.” And just in case anyone forgot, just last year the AP reported that President Obama “replaced the Oval Office fixture with a bust of one of his American heroes, President Abraham Lincoln, and moved the Churchill bust to the White House residence.”
In case these news reports are not enough for Mr. Krauthammer and others, here’s a picture of the President showing off the Churchill bust to Prime Minister Cameron when he visited the White House residence in 2010. [Above]
Now, I am sure our Republican friends will not trust the White House doing its own fact-checking.
They are invited to do their own fact-checking and report back to us.
Update 1:
Mitt Romney, speaking to a group of more than 200 supporters in hotel in the heart of London this evening, said he is “looking forward” to returning the bust of Winston Churchill to the White House after it was sent back to Great Britain by President Obama.
Note: In all fairness, Romney said : “And I’m looking forward to the bust of Winston Churchill being in the Oval Office again.”
I am happy to give some “wiggle room” to those who want to parse Romney’s words and intentions.
Update 2:
Conflicting and confusing reports are appearing on the internet on this issue. We’ll let the dust settle and update/confirm/clarify/correct as necessary.
Update 3:
Fact Check: The Bust of Winston Churchill, by Dan Pfeiffer
(With thanks to SteveK)
Hopefully this clears things up a bit and prevents folks from making this ridiculous claim again.
Since my post on the fact that the bust of Winston Churchill has remained on display in the White House, despite assertions to the contrary, I have received a bunch of questions — so let me provide some additional info. The White House has had a bust of Winston Churchill since the 1960’s. At the start of the Bush administration Prime Minister Blair lent President Bush a bust that matched the one in the White House, which was being worked on at the time and was later returned to the residence. The version lent by Prime Minister Blair was displayed by President Bush until the end of his Presidency. On January 20, 2009 — Inauguration Day — all of the art lent specifically for President Bush’s Oval Office was removed by the curator’s office, as is common practice at the end of every presidency. The original Churchill bust remained on display in the residence. The idea put forward by Charles Krauthammer and others that President Obama returned the Churchill bust or refused to display the bust because of antipathy towards the British is completely false and an urban legend that continues to circulate to this day.
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Now there is a mystery. I earlier quoted a 2009 story from the UK Telegraph:
[Diplomats were at first reluctant to discuss the whereabouts of the Churchill bronze, after its ejection from the seat of American power. But the British Embassy in Washington has now confirmed that it sits in the palatial residence of ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald, just down the road from Vice President Joe Biden’s official residence. It is not clear whether the ambassador plans to keep it in Washington or send it back to London.}
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/4623148/Barack-Obama-sends-bust-of-Winston-Churchill-on-its-way-back-to-Britain.html
Dorian, I think you should follow up on this important news item. And looking at the picture I couldn’t swear that bust represents Mr. Churchill. Nor could I swear that picture is of PM Cameron and President Obama. This is distressing.
“Now, whenever allegations are made about Mr. Romney, his supporters immediately demand (and do) some serious “fact-checking.”
I am not a Romney supporter, nor am I a Republican, but as one who has defended him against various allegations, particularly recently, I suppose I might be one of the people you are referring to. In any case, let me be clear in my position (yes, as controversial as it is) in support of checking facts.
I don’t recall any serious discussion on the bust topic previously on this site, which is the only political discussion board I frequent, but I don’t read every post. If I had seen it mentioned, particularly repeatedly, and if the allegation were defended by many commenters, and if those commenters were using it as evidence of the questionable character or capacity of policy of Obama, I would have asked for facts to back it up, as I have done with allegations against Romney on occasion.
But in any case I appreciate you bringing these facts to our attention, and I have no reason to doubt them.
I like this from Wonkette:
“But he took it out of the Oval Office! And put it in the residence instead! Impeach, etc., posthaste and at once. Verily, and forsoot”
Wonder why they waited until Romney was in London to squelch the rumor. Or maybe I don’t. And maybe this is nit-picking but they probably shouldn’t have used the .gov website to engage in what sure looks like a campaign squabble.
In Republicanland it probably would be considered just as
treasonous to move the statue to another place in the residence as to return it.
Now, at least I get all those Bush WH comparisons of W to Churchill, though!
It may not yet be mandatory for all republicans to wear tin foil hats at all tims, but the day is rapidly approaching.
I’m sure Jon Stewart will have the facts by tonight, as usual. Has he gotten a pulitzer yet?
Which begs the question, “Where’s the Lincoln bust going?”
What does Romney have against Abraham Lincoln?
Dorian — The right wing will keep this going somehowm. Far be it for Obama to replace Winston Churchill’s bust with an American leader. From the nauseating patronizing of Mitt Romney to Krauthammer’s rant, you would think they would retroactively want to erase the Boston Tea Party.
SteveK says:
“Which begs the question, “Where’s the Lincoln bust going?”
What does Romney have against Abraham Lincoln?”
I think that fact checking each and everyone of Romney’s talking points misses his purpose entirely. His greater aim is to advance the falsehood that Obama doesn’t deserve to be President, that he is an usurper. If the point that you are making is a lie it doesn’t matter to them if the so-called facts that you use to support it are also lies, only that they sound like something that a not a real American would do to further degrade and demean the office. These points are actually not even meant for the people who come to this board. They are meant to lend support to people who just know that Obama shouldn’t be the President but need reasons for those feelings that are not related to things like bigotry or racism.
Merkin – Perfect!
Janet:
One of your comments was classified as ‘spam,” for no apparent reason to me.
I “unspammed” it and it is now “pending.” We’ll see what the system does.
The plot thickens…
This was not some random rumor plucked from the ether. The assertion originally came from the British Embassy and from the White House.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/is-the-churchill-bust-controversy-a-total-bust/
Official White House UPDATE:
Thanks for the update Steve. I have been watching the beautiful Olympics ceremony that showed that London was truly ready,despite …..
Added:
I have now included the White House statement as an update. Thanks again
Geez! I’m glad we got that straightened out. Merkin’s explanation still stands. And even as sane a Republican as Krauthammer can succumb to the temptation.