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| Republican senators set up showdown over possible Rice nomination | Republican senators set up showdown over possible Rice nomination |
| (5 months later) | |
| Barack Obama has accused prominent Republican senators of an "outrageous" attack on the character of Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN and potential nominee as secretary of state, in alleging a cover up over the Benghazi attack that killed the American ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens. | Barack Obama has accused prominent Republican senators of an "outrageous" attack on the character of Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN and potential nominee as secretary of state, in alleging a cover up over the Benghazi attack that killed the American ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens. |
| The president denounced senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham for saying they would attempt to block Rice from leading the state department if Obama nominated her because she either lied or was incompetent in saying that the attack in Libya on September 11 was spontaneous and that there was no evidence of a link to al-Qaida. | The president denounced senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham for saying they would attempt to block Rice from leading the state department if Obama nominated her because she either lied or was incompetent in saying that the attack in Libya on September 11 was spontaneous and that there was no evidence of a link to al-Qaida. |
| Republicans assert that the White House knew at the time that neither claim was true. The administration says the information was substantially correct even if it was wrong to assert there was a demonstration taking place at the time. It says the link to al-Qaida is tenuous. | Republicans assert that the White House knew at the time that neither claim was true. The administration says the information was substantially correct even if it was wrong to assert there was a demonstration taking place at the time. It says the link to al-Qaida is tenuous. |
| Obama vigorously defended Rice at his press conference on Wednesday by saying that she was merely repeating the intelligence available at the time when she appeared on various Sunday television talk shows five days after the Benghazi attack. | Obama vigorously defended Rice at his press conference on Wednesday by saying that she was merely repeating the intelligence available at the time when she appeared on various Sunday television talk shows five days after the Benghazi attack. |
| "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," the president said. "But for them to go after the UN ambassador, who had nothing to do with Benghazi, and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence she had received, and to besmirch her reputation, is outrageous." | "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," the president said. "But for them to go after the UN ambassador, who had nothing to do with Benghazi, and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence she had received, and to besmirch her reputation, is outrageous." |
| Obama said he was not prepared to comment on nominations to the State Department or other posts, but that he would not be deterred by threats from choosing Rice. | Obama said he was not prepared to comment on nominations to the State Department or other posts, but that he would not be deterred by threats from choosing Rice. |
| "When they go after the UN ambassador, apparently because they think she's an easy target, then they've got a problem with me," he said. "If I think she would be the best person to serve America at the State Department, then I will nominate her. That's not a determination I've made yet." | "When they go after the UN ambassador, apparently because they think she's an easy target, then they've got a problem with me," he said. "If I think she would be the best person to serve America at the State Department, then I will nominate her. That's not a determination I've made yet." |
| McCain responded to Obama by immediately going on to the Senate floor to ask for the creation of a select committee to investigate events in Benghazi and to accuse the president of missing the point in accusing critics of "picking on" Rice. | McCain responded to Obama by immediately going on to the Senate floor to ask for the creation of a select committee to investigate events in Benghazi and to accuse the president of missing the point in accusing critics of "picking on" Rice. |
| "That statement is really remarkable in that if the president thinks we are picking on people, he really doesn't have any idea how serious this issue is," McCain said. | "That statement is really remarkable in that if the president thinks we are picking on people, he really doesn't have any idea how serious this issue is," McCain said. |
| The Arizona senator dismissed Obama's claim that Rice was merely repeating the available intelligence. | The Arizona senator dismissed Obama's claim that Rice was merely repeating the available intelligence. |
| "Those talking point that the ambassador used did not come from the CIA. They come from the White House. Who in the White House – was it the president of the United States? Was it one of his people? – who was it who gave her talking points that clearly indicated something for which there was no basis in fact?" McCain said. | "Those talking point that the ambassador used did not come from the CIA. They come from the White House. Who in the White House – was it the president of the United States? Was it one of his people? – who was it who gave her talking points that clearly indicated something for which there was no basis in fact?" McCain said. |
| Congressional intelligence committees are holding closed door hearings this week on the circumstances around the killings in Benghazi. Among those expected to testify is the recently resigned CIA director, David Petraeus. | Congressional intelligence committees are holding closed door hearings this week on the circumstances around the killings in Benghazi. Among those expected to testify is the recently resigned CIA director, David Petraeus. |
| But McCain said a public investigation is necessary to establish why the administration did not respond to mounting evidence of a potential attack, including smaller assaults on the US consulate in Benghazi in the months before and an attack on a car carrying the British ambassador in the city. He said there are also questions about why the State Department did not respond to requests from officials in Libya for more security. | But McCain said a public investigation is necessary to establish why the administration did not respond to mounting evidence of a potential attack, including smaller assaults on the US consulate in Benghazi in the months before and an attack on a car carrying the British ambassador in the city. He said there are also questions about why the State Department did not respond to requests from officials in Libya for more security. |
| McCain echoed a question from the Watergate era in saying: "What did the president know, when did he know it, and what did he do about it?". | McCain echoed a question from the Watergate era in saying: "What did the president know, when did he know it, and what did he do about it?". |
| McCain said the investigation would also look at why the president did not immediately send troops into Benghazi, revealing a fundamental misunderstanding not only of the practical obstacles but also of the attitude of ordinary Libyans to the idea of foreign forces fighting inside their country. | McCain said the investigation would also look at why the president did not immediately send troops into Benghazi, revealing a fundamental misunderstanding not only of the practical obstacles but also of the attitude of ordinary Libyans to the idea of foreign forces fighting inside their country. |
| During last year's revolution, Libyans fighting Gaddafi welcomed Nato air support, which proved crucial to overthrowing the dictator, but were strongly against foreign troops on the ground in part because of the country's history of enduring invasion but also out of concern of an Iraq-like conflict developing. | During last year's revolution, Libyans fighting Gaddafi welcomed Nato air support, which proved crucial to overthrowing the dictator, but were strongly against foreign troops on the ground in part because of the country's history of enduring invasion but also out of concern of an Iraq-like conflict developing. |
| Graham responded to the president by saying he was unconvinced and would stand against appointing Rice to the state department. | Graham responded to the president by saying he was unconvinced and would stand against appointing Rice to the state department. |
| "Mr President don't think for one minute I don't hold you ultimately responsible for Benghazi. I think you failed as commander in chief before, during and after the attack," he said. "Given what I know now, I've no intention of promoting anyone who was up to their eyeballs in the Benghazi debacle." | "Mr President don't think for one minute I don't hold you ultimately responsible for Benghazi. I think you failed as commander in chief before, during and after the attack," he said. "Given what I know now, I've no intention of promoting anyone who was up to their eyeballs in the Benghazi debacle." |
| Democrats have a 55 to 45 majority in the Senate but would need 60 votes if Graham or another member sought to filibuster Rice's nomination. | Democrats have a 55 to 45 majority in the Senate but would need 60 votes if Graham or another member sought to filibuster Rice's nomination. |
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