"Come After Me:" Obama Offers Rehearesed Tough-Guy Message on Benghazi, But Avoids Actual Answers

Ed Henry points out that Obama admitted what had long been assumed (but not explicitly said), that Susan Rice was sent out to talk about Benghazi at the White House's request.

The rest of it is a smoghastbord of evasions and rehearsed feigned outrage.

"As I said before, she made an appearance at the request of the White House in which she gave her best understanding of the intelligence that had been provided to her. If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me. And I'm happy to have that discussion with them. But for them to go after the U.N. ambassador who had nothing to do with Benghazi, and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received, and besmirch her reputation is outrageous," President Obama said at a press conference on Wednesday.

I would like very much to "have that discussion." When shall we schedule it?

Also: "the intelligence she received." Passive voice. Why does he avoid saying who gave her the intelligence? It's a shifty construction. If there was nothing amiss, he should have no problems specifying who gave her this "intelligence."

You avoid naming names when you have something to hide.

Another point: He stresses she had "nothing to do with Benghazi." Okay: Why did you choose someone who had "nothing to do with Benghazi" to present your case on Benghazi? Why did you make certain it was someone insulated from actual knowledge?

Watch the video. It's sick-making.

Lindsey Graham, meanwhile, says he'll do everything he can to block Susan Rice's nomination, which I assume includes a filibuster.

If our party still has any spirit left.

posted by Ace at 03:11 PM

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