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World :: Gaffe-Prone Romney Tries To Repair Damage

US presidential candidate Mitt Romney will attempt to repair the damage from his gaffe-prone world tour today, with fewer than 100 days until America votes.

The Republican contender had hoped his visit to the UK, Israel and Poland would demonstrate his grip of foreign policy and make him appear presidential.

Instead he flew home from a trip that was dogged by controversy and bickering between campaign officials and journalists accompanying them.

Mr Romney's team says the coverage has been unfair and that some of his comments have been taken out of context but the US media has been full of critical analysis.

However, opinion is divided over whether Mr Romney's foreign adventures will have any impact on the intentions of American voters.

Aaran David Miller, who advised six US secretaries of state, says the gaffes will be long forgotten come November's election.

He told Sky News: "This is an election that will be generated by two questions: Do you think the incumbent is responsible for your economic misery and, if the answer is yes, do you think his opponent has a better answer and plan.

"Those are questions that are relegated to the domestic sphere not to the issue of foreign policy."

Mr Romney earned himself the tabloid nickname ‘Mitt-the-Twit’ for raising questions about London's Olympics preparations. Despite backtracking, he appeared to have irritated Prime Minister David Cameron.

In the Middle East, he infuriated Palestinians by referring to Jerusalem as Israel's capital and saying that Israeli "culture" helps them succeed economically.

And his meeting with anti-communist hero Lech Walesa in Poland was tainted when the Solidarity union he headed said it actually supports American workers.

The White House and Mr Obama’s re-election team have jumped on Mr Romney's international gaffes.

Campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: "He's been fumbling the foreign policy football from country to country. This raises some questions about his preparedness."

And Corey Ealons, a former communications director in the Obama White House, told Sky News: "I would give him a big fat 'F' rating and I think most of the American people would too.

"This was not a good trip for him. The American people want to see that the candidate can show their mettle on the international stage and he did not do that."

Both campaigns have stepped up television campaigning in key swing states in what is predicted to be the most expensive election in history.