Obama’s Benghazi Blunders Continue …

After An Emotional Hearing, Obama And Clinton Face New Questions On Their Response To Benghazi

WHEN WILL OBAMA AND CLINTON ANSWER THE CONCERNS RAISED BY THE BENGHAZI WHISTLEBLOWERS?

The Hill Headline: “Whistle Blown On Benghazi.” (Jordy Yager, “Whistle Blown On Benghazi,” The Hill, 5/8/13)

• Whistleblowers “Offered Stark Criticism Of The Administration’s Handling Of The Terrorist Attack On The U.S. Consulate In Benghazi, Libya.”“Government whistle-blowers on Wednesday choked back tears as they offered stark criticism of the administration’s handling of the terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.” (Jordy Yager, “Whistle Blown On Benghazi,” The Hill, 5/8/13)

CNN Headline: “State Department Failed To Understand Dangerous Situation In Benghazi.” (CNN’s The Lead, 5/8/13)

• The Whistleblowers “Raised Fresh Questions About Whether Then-Secretary Of State Hillary Rodham Clinton And Her Deputies Were Sufficiently Engaged” In The Security Of The Benghazi Compound. “But in expanding the narrative of the intensely politicized episode, the witnesses raised fresh questions about whether then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and her deputies were sufficiently engaged in assessing the security posture of diplomatic posts last year.” (Ernesto Londono and Karen DeYoung, “At Benghazi Hearing, State Dept. Officials Challenge Administration Review Of Attacks,” The Washington Post, 5/8/13)

Witnesses Described How “The Obama Administration’s Initial Reluctance To Describe The Attacks As Premeditated Terrorist Acts” Had “Hindered The FBI’s Probe Into The Death Of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens And Three Other Americans.”“Speaking before the Republican-led congressional panel, they also reiterated criticism of the Obama administration’s initial reluctance to describe the attacks as premeditated terrorist acts. The move hindered the FBI’s probe into the death of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, the former deputy chief of the U.S. mission in Libya charged.” (Ernesto Londono and Karen DeYoung, “At Benghazi Hearing, State Dept. Officials Challenge Administration Review Of Attacks,” The Washington Post, 5/8/13)

TO WHAT EXTENT DID POLITICS INFLUENCE THE ADMINISTRATION’S “INACCURATE, IRRESPONSIBLE” RESPONSE?

The Wall Street Journal: The Obama Administration “Knew In September They Had A Politically Potent Debacle On Their Hands And Did Their Best To Delay And Obfuscate Any Accounting.” “The immediate press spin on Wednesday’s hearing is that there was no “smoking gun” proof of a cover-up, as if that is the only reason to find out what happened. It’s clear enough already that senior Administration officials knew in September they had a politically potent debacle on their hands and did their best to delay and obfuscate any accounting. All of this warrants further investigation, and such oversight is part of Congress’s job.” (Editorial, “The Benghazi Awakening,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/8/13)

National Journal’s Ron Fournier: Obama Administration Response To Benghazi Was “Inaccurate, Irresponsible And Shrouded By Campaign-Style Spin.” “The administration’s response to the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on U.S. installations in eastern Libya was inaccurate, irresponsible and shrouded by campaign-style spin. It belied President Obama’s oft-broken promise to run a transparent government.” (Ron Fournier, “Why Benghazi Is A Blow To Obama And Clinton,” National Journal, 5/9/13)

• “Benghazi Is A Blow To The Credibility Of The President And His Potential Successor, Then-Secretary Of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.” “If nothing else, Benghazi is a blow to the credibility of the president and his potential successor, then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. This could be big.” (Ron Fournier, “Why Benghazi Is A Blow To Obama And Clinton,” National Journal, 5/9/13)

WAS A BENGHAZI WHISTLEBLOWER PUNISHED FOR ASKING QUESTIONS?

Was Clinton Lawyer Cheryl Mills Involved In Shutting Down Questions From The Former Deputy Chief Of Mission In Libya?

A Benghazi Whistleblower Charged That Clinton’s Key State Department Lieutenant “Made A Concerted Effort To Block Him From Meeting With A Congressional Delegation.” “Clinton — how much she knew, when she knew it, and whether she willingly participated in a cover up — was a central theme of the hearing. And Wednesday, the story did move a large step closer to Clinton. Star witness Gregory Hicks, who was the Deputy Chief of Mission in Libya the night of the attack, charged that Clinton’s key State Department lieutenant and longtime family retainer, Cheryl Mills, made a concerted effort to block him from meeting with a Congressional delegation and that he had never been interviewed by the FBI in connection to the attack. Hicks said that he had been demoted after asking too many questions of his superiors about their response to Benghazi.” (Rosie Gray, “Benghazi Investigation Creeps Closer To Hillary Clinton,” BuzzFeed, 5/9/13)

• Hicks Testified That He Was “Punished By Senior U.S. Officials For Questioning Rice’s Comments,” And Contacted By Cheryl Mills, A “Close Confidante To Clinton,” After He Met With House Investigators Without A State Department Lawyer Present. “Hicks provided compelling testimony that he was punished by senior U.S. officials for questioning Rice’s comments and also for agreeing to an interview with House investigators without a State Department lawyer present. (Hicks said the lawyer did not have the proper security clearance.) He described a phone call by an ‘upset’ Cheryl Mills, State Department chief of staff and close confidante to Clinton, concerning his meeting without the lawyer. And he said that when complained about Rice’s statement, asking ‘why she had said there was a demonstration, when we had reported that there was an attack,’ Jones curtly gave him the sense ‘that I needed to stop the line of questioning.’” (Glenn Kessler, “The Benghazi Hearings: What’s New And What’s Not,” The Washington Post‘s The Fact Checker, 5/9/13)

“If Hicks Is To Be Believed, Issuing A No-Communications Order Is An Inherently Political Act And, By Definition, A Blow For Transparency.” “Hicks’ emotional testimony Wednesday accused the administration of political machinations and bullying. Hicks told lawmakers that he was ordered not to talk to members of Congress about the attack. When he did so anyhow, and a State Department lawyer was excluded from the meeting because he lacked the necessary security clearance, Hicks said he received an angry phone call from Cheryl Mills, Clinton’s chief of staff. Mills is well-respected and known for her fierce loyalty to Clinton. If Hicks is to be believed, issuing a no-communications order is an inherently political act and, by definition, a blow for transparency.” (Ron Fournier, “Why Benghazi Is A Blow To Obama And Clinton,” National Journal, 5/9/13)

Hicks’ Description Of The “Internal Dynamics” And “Retaliation” He Faced After Questioning The Administration’s “Public Posture” Following The Attacks Raises New Questions For The Obama Administration. “After that, he said, relations with his superiors went downhill, especially with Jones, who gave him ‘a blistering critique of my management style.’ He eventually returned from Libya and was given a job that he described as a significant demotion. There are obviously two sides to any such exchanges. But Hicks’ description of the internal dynamics — and reported retaliation for questioning the administration’s public posture — is certainly new.” (Glenn Kessler, “The Benghazi Hearings: What’s New And What’s Not,” The Washington Post‘s The Fact Checker, 5/9/13)

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, On The State Department’s Response To Hicks’ Testimony: “This Doesn’t Pass A Sniff Test.” MSNBC’s JOE SCARBOROUGH: “Wow. Donny, this doesn’t pass a sniff test. You know what we are about to get into? We are about to get into some very dangerous territory for the administration. They demote this guy and now they are doing what we have seen too often, where you try to now call him a liar? Are they saying he doesn’t remember? I don’t think this guy will forget the events of September 11th and beyond for the rest of his life.” (MSNBC’s “,” 5/9/13)

• MSNBC’s Donny Deutsche: “This Clearly Has A Yuck Factor.” DONNY DEUTSCHE: “You started the day going, ok, this is going to be a Republican political circus and you ended the day with going yuck. This clearly has a yuck factor. The big question for this country in 2016: does it have the sticky factor for Hillary Clinton?” (MSNBC’s “,” 5/9/13)

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