British PM Responds to Romney’s Olympic Concerns

British Prime Minister David Cameron did not seem to appreciate Mitt Romney’s concern with the runup to the London Olympic Games.

With just one day left until the Olympics officially begin, Cameron said he was confident that London was ready to host the world’s athletes, refuting Romney's comments that he found events leading up to the games “disconcerting.”

“We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world,” Cameron said, according to The Telegraph. “Of course it’s easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere.”

Cameron, however, said he would deliver a positive message to the presumptive Republican leader on Thursday. Neither man, however, mentioned Romney’s comments in front of the news media, according to pool reports.

Sitting down with NBC’s Brian Williams on Wednesday, Romney at one point called certain mistakes he has noticed “disconcerting.” The former Massachusetts governor ran the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

“You know, it's hard to know just how well it will turn out,” he said. “There are a few things that were disconcerting, the stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials. That obviously is not something which is encouraging.”

In a meeting on Thursday with Labour leader Ed Miliband at Parliament, Romney walked back his comments and said that mistakes are bound to occur.

“My experience with regards to the Olympics is it is impossible for absolutely no mistakes to occur,” he said, according to pool reports. “Of course there will be errors from time to time, but those are all overshadowed by the extraordinary demonstrations of courage, character, and determination by the athletes. The Games are, after all, about the athletes, the volunteers, and the people of the community that come together to celebrate those athletes. They are not about the Organizing Committee. And as soon as the sporting events begin, we all forget the organizers and focus on the athletes.”

Romney also said he plans to attend the Opening Ceremony on Friday.