Fact check: Obama's 'apology tour' of the Middle East President Obama debates Republican Mitt Romney at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla. October 22, 2012, 7:41 p.m. Mitt Romney's criticism of President Obama for taking what he called an "apology tour" of the Middle East is a signature line that the GOP nominee began using in 2010 and continues to repeat, despite wide criticism. Independent fact-checking groups, including PolitiFact and FactCheck, that have examined Obama's speeches on his visits to the region haven't found them to be especially critical of American actions, and found them generally consistent with statements of past presidents. Obama has expressed regret on some occasions for actions of some troops, such as the destruction of Korans in Afghanistan, and abuse of prisoners in Iraq. Obama described Romney's phrase as "the biggest whopper" aired in the campaign.