Posted on 01/25/2013 6:14:17 AM PST by SeekAndFind
A lot of people in Washington apparently forgot how good Hillary Clinton is at not telling the truth.
Wednesday, in her testimony before the Senate and, later, the House, Clinton brilliantly fudged, dodged, and filibustered. Of course, she’s a pro. Clinton was slow-walking depositions, lawyering up, and shifting blame when many of her questioners were still civilians down on the farm.
Aided by a ridiculous format, she outfoxed most of the Republicans with ease.
Meanwhile, the Democrats, almost uniformly, seemed singularly interested in celebrating Mrs. Clinton as a global diva who somehow manages to carry the burden of her awesomeness with humility and grace. If smoking were still allowed in the Capitol, one could easily imagine her removing a cigarette from a gold case and tapping it nonchalantly on the witness table, and the entire Democratic caucus leaping over their desks for the chance to light it for her.
The most dramatic moment came early, when Wisconsin senator Ron Johnson tried to get Clinton to explain why the State Department blamed the September 11 terrorist attacks in Benghazi on an impromptu protest over an anti-Muslim video. In a rehearsed moment of spontaneous outrage, Clinton yelled back, “With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided to kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?”
It is a measure of Clinton’s cult-like status on the left and among much of the press that this passed for a satisfactory, never mind impressive, response. But it’s also a tribute to Clinton’s gift for mendacity that it worked so well.
Even among the administration’s harshest critics, people seemed at a loss to fully explain what difference it makes whether the administration’s spin was true or not. For many, the answer is simply that government officials shouldn’t lie. That’s a necessary criticism, but hardly sufficient.
Just to be clear, Clinton lied and is still lying. When asked about the claim that the attack was sparked by a protest over a video, she responded, “I did not say . . . that it was about the video for Libya.”
That’s simply untrue. When she stood by the caskets of the four Americans killed in Libya, she directly blamed an “awful Internet video that we had nothing to do with.” Afterward, she reportedly told the father of Tyrone Woods, the former Navy SEAL who was killed in the attack, “We will make sure the person who made that film is arrested and prosecuted.” Why tell the man that if the video had nothing to do with it?
Moreover, Clinton was part of an administration that crafted an entire PR strategy to blame these attacks on “an awful Internet video.” White House press secretary Jay Carney was unequivocal: This was a “response to a video, a film we have judged to be reprehensible and disgusting.” In his address to the United Nations, President Obama mentioned the video six times but al-Qaeda once. When he appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, he blamed the video directly. U.N. ambassador Susan Rice went on five Sunday shows blaming the video. All of this happened when they already knew it was not true on the day of the attack, and even the president of Libya had publicly called the protest explanation ridiculous.
But again, the lying, while outrageous, is incidental to the real offense, which is twofold. First, why did the administration lie? Well, it wanted to conceal its utter failure to prepare for terrorist attacks on September 11 — which is like being surprised by Christmas falling on December 25. Also, the Obama administration, by which I mean the Obama campaign, was desperate to protect its hyped record of fighting terrorism. A “spontaneous” attack invited not by the administration’s shortcomings but by some nutty video was just the ticket.
Indeed, on this score, Clinton was true to her word. While none of the murderers have been apprehended, the filmmaker is in jail, the picture of his arrest splashed across the globe.
Which brings us to the second part: the nature of the lie. Remember, not all lies are equally harmful. In this case, the U.S. government responded to the murder of four Americans by treating our constitutional rights as part of the problem. A former teacher of constitutional law, Obama was happy to watch the country argue new limits on free expression and the necessity of giving bloodthirsty savages and terrorists a heckler’s veto on what Americans can do or say.
Clinton was in on that lie, and that makes all the difference in the world.
— Jonah Goldberg is editor-at-large of National Review Online and a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.
...they also forgot about 800 FBI files turning up at the WH
The only way anyone will get the truth out of this regime is via “enhanced interrogation” methods. Otherwise, they will just lie, lie and lie. And also lie.
Therefore, they have no real interest in the truth
because there are now two Americas. Those in control
and the slaves who live only to serve and enrich THEM.
That the left has fawned over Hillary’s answer gives me great grief. If Condi Rice had said this, there would have been hell to pay for it.
My only hope is that when Hillary meets God face to face and has to account for her actions in this life, that God just says to her, “What difference, at this point, does it make, Hillary?” and then she swoops down to eternal damnation. OK, that’s awful of me, but I wish there would be some kind of consequence for her. It’s not up to me, and that’s a good thing.
Like she said...Why does it matter now?? I’m outa here.
She is not good at lying. What needs to be done is arrest her for crimes committed.
Anyone wanting on or off this ping list, please advise.
These people are evil personified!
Yep, what does it matter when the media has her back.
She’s a cross between Col. Rosa Klebb and Kane from “Poltergeist.”
WHY NOT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR? If she runs and wins we will be subject to more of this. A certain majority in the Senate and House will guarantee more of this so turn the heat on now!
interesting to note Hillary dressed in green.
I realize we have to question the next President.However,we
have no idea what this President did on 9/11!
Not one person on the committee in congress asked Hitlory if she knew that the consulate was setup as a gun running operation by the CIA to get arms to the Syrian fighters. I cringed when I saw Jaun McCain hug Hitlroy.
“Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided to kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?””
The POINT, dear Hitlary, is that lives were lost due to negligence, incompetence, stupidity, treason; perpetrated by a high-ranking government official. The citizens of the US, and the few government officials with a conscience, are demanding to know the truth and identify the true cause of this tragedy, so that it is not repeated! If there is a traitor, or otherwise unloyal individual at this level of government, we demand that they be identified and eliminated. We know that you know what happened - so cut the BS, and the melodrama, and fess up.
Hilda and zer0 are going on 60 minutes, so her performance has not been well received
Now, which one actually has blood on her hands?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.