Across Washington today reactions, both personal and political, have been raw and often volatile to the violent attacks against U.S. diplomatic workers in Egypt and Libya.
But particularly noteworthy was the measured, informed, and emotional response from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Speaking this morning from the State Department, Secretary Clinton talked about the four Americans who died in Libya including Ambassador Chris Stevens. Secretary Clinton reminded us all, "We must be clear-eyed, even in our grief. This was an attack by a small and savage group, not the people or government of Libya."
Her remarks stand as a clear example of how leaders should respond to tragedy.
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And in the Rose Garden, after being missing in action until 10:30AM, Barrack Obama was more interested in pressing his admonitions against his opponent Gov. Romney who had also spoken earlier of the heartfelt loss he and all Americans felt at the slaying of our Ambassador to Libya and three other foreign affairs personnel at the hands of Islamists terrorists and the breaching of our embassy compound by rioting mobs the night of 9/11's 11th anniversary. And Romney also spoke of the deplorable statement released by the representatives of the President in the Egyptian embassy apologizing for American behavior, and not instead condemning this murderous and disrespectful actions of the Libyan and Egyptian haters
It took the Obama administration 7 to 8 hours longer to disavow that early statement made by the Egyptian personnel under his direction. Meanwhile, as rioting continued, Barrack left Hillary in charge, and with fresh contingents of Marines flying to hot spots throughout the Middle East and Asia to only now beef up our Embassy and Consulate defenses, and war ships steaming to stand off the Libyan shores, the President himself boarded Air Force One for a little flight out to Las Vegas for some added fund raising activity and campaigning, and some rubbing elbows with a contingent of celebrities flying in from Hollywood. I mean, first things first for the "cool" one, right?
Now the evidence mounts that this was a well planned and meticulously conducted Al Qaeda operation that attacked the our Ambassador and his staff in Benghazi, Libya, armed with RPGs and Heavy Machine Guns, directly as a result of the call to action just Monday evening by the #1 in Al Qaeda for the recent killing by drone attack of the #2 Al Qaeda operative, who was Libyan. With this warning information well known, how was it that no attention was paid to that, and precautions taken to thwart the deadly assault, and the revenge killing of our Abassador and three other foreign affairs dignitaries. Whose not paying attention to their job?
How about we first examine the facts regarding involving Grandpa Fuzz calls a "deplorable statement released by the representatives of the President in the Egyptian embassy."
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/obama-romney-shoots-aims-embassy-attack-comments/story?id=17219337#.UFEhgd1zCL4
Obama defended the messages sent out by U.S. diplomats in Cairo, who early Tuesday released a statement criticizing an American-made film that depicts the Prophet Muhammed, Islam's founder, in a derogatory way. The film touched off the protest at the Cairo embassy and may have played a role in the lethal Benghazi attack. It also prompted Romney's criticism.
Some prominent Republicans joined in questioning Romney's timing.
Richard Armitage, the former deputy secretary of state under Republican President George W. Bush said Romney "will find out that first reports from the battlefield are always incorrect…This should be his mantra, so he can speak in a deliberate manner, and not have to repent at his leisure later."
Fortunately, given today's poll numbers, we can be relieved that Romeny won't require such on-the-job-training.
Shoot, Grandpa hollers at me for reporting on revisionist tendencies of the religious historians describing the "birth" of Mitt's religion, but from a historical standpoint we're talking 150 years versus 1500. Too, I work exclusively from authentic sources, many authored by faithful Mormons, and others from credible and accurate award-winning historians. And I haven't denigrated the faith of the followers of that religion (since many were my own ancestors), only their loyalty to leaders who were undeserving of it.
The claim of 'an apology for America" originating in Cairo is sheer codswallop. This one is going to wind up in the same trash heap as Paul Ryan's marathon claims.
Obama was for the Embassy's statement in Cairo before he was against it, once he had a few quick polls to consult on the political fallout or benefit to accrue if he should disavow the concept of selling out our principles of freedom of speech and civil order.
Richard Armitage is the Democrats favorite go to guy when they want a little political cover for their foreign policy blunders, Cab Driver. You'll have to do better than that!
Of course I can do better, but I'm swatting flies not engaging mid three-figure I.Q. sorts...
What's your pleasure? A slapdown from the right?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/12/libya-egypt-crises-demand-thought-not-quick-political-shots.html
To move so quickly to a political statement before all the facts are known, especially on the anniversary of 9-11, was not a smart move.
Left? (Assuming the AP has a left-wing bias. Well, okay, the truth usually does these days)
http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2012/09/12/13834807-fact-check-romney-misstates-facts-on-attacks
The gunfire at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, had barely ceased when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney seriously mischaracterized what had happened in a statement accusing President Barack Obama of "disgraceful" handling of violence there and at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
Your buddies over on CNN?
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
A timeline of the events suggests Romney was wrong in his accusation that the Obama administration's "first response" on Tuesday was one of sympathy for those who started the violence itself–as the violence came after the first statement was published.
Checkmate.
The "dailybeast" is a right wing blog? "Newvine" belongs to ABC, and not NBC? What are you driniking now, Cab Driver. Better put the hooch away and put the coffee pot on, its going to be a tough week for you here!
Hillary has been left in charge of damage control, and thank heaven's for that, as the lead from behind Obama just doesn't have the luxury of taking political polls and sitting things out until he comes up with decisions based on how it will affect him politcally, He doesn't have the instincts for this job. Remember that devasting add in the Clinton-Obama campaign, on the 3:00 AM call to the White House, and the subsequent Saturday Night skit showing Obama calling up Hillary at 3:01AM crying "What do I do Hillary...you have to tell me what to do!" Well, its here now, live, in living color, Cab Driver. And panning Romney isn't going to help at all.
I realize the Daily Beast is sitting on your right in the asylum day room, but if you'd bother to use your eyes instead of yelling, you'd see a preponderance of conservatives.
And call your parole officer for molesting another strawman with that Newsvine goober; the link was to an AP article... And I pointed out that one was from the left...
As for your favorite, CNN, well you just regressed to your usual switcheroo ("Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain) and tried to gin up some drama to draw attention away from Romney's thickheaded idiocy....
(loud angry sounds coming from the chess room followed by sounds of a table being overturned and pieces scattered)
The brushfires in the Middle East fall under the aegis of the State Department, so Hillary's presence is perfectly apropos. As for who has the real cojones, check out the look on the Secretary's face in the famous Bin Laden situation room photograph.
You right wingnuts hate Obama because he won't pander to your fundamental immaturity.
NBCs Newsvine linking to ABC...sound like the blind leading the blind to me Car Driver.
When Obama steps up and schedules a a news conference instead of hiding our in the Rocky Mountains (oh, that is where you hide out from the world, isn't it Car Driver...escuuuuuuse me!), he might just gain some modicum of respect. SNL had it right in 2008 during the Hillary-Barrack campaigning for the nomination battle, with that infamous skit of Barrack getting the famous 3:00AM call, but in to Hillary, crying and wringing his hands, saying "What do I do Hillary, you have to tell me what to do!"
Good job Ms Clinton, see you in 2016! You already got my vote!
Hillary, left in charge in Washington DC while Obama is off fund raising and campaigning in a swing through the Rocky Mountain States that began yesterday as soon as he could get out of Dodge, took a step back today from her strong statement of yesterday, by opening her remarks this morning with a pandering which sounded vaguely familiar to the now disavowed statement released by State Department officials in the Cairo Embassy on Tuesday. But she again deplored the violence, which has continued in Cairo yesterday, and spread to Yemen now, while Obama campaigned and fund raised and pressed the flesh with Hollywood celebrities in Las Vegas, Nevada. Today, we must await any further word from him on the campaign trail as he heads to Cororado. Obama's only statements so far have been about the assination of our Ambassador and 3 other American foreign affairs officials on Tueday in Libya; he is yet to be heard on the assaults and threatening of our embassy's in Cairo, Eyypt and Yemen. Guess its first things first with this guy...he's got a campaign to press on with. Of course, that is the only part of his job description that he really shows any talent for!