Never mind the latest disturbing and chilling news that the Obama administration believes they've got the right to be judge, jury and executioner with this drone program of theirs, all in the name of fighting this endless "war on terror." Sen. Lindsey Graham is just fine with that. Graham appeared on Sean Hannity's show on Fox to continue ranting and raving about their drummed up fake controversy over the attack in Benghazi. This horse was beaten to death a long time ago, but that didn't stop Hannity and Graham from declaring that "a major bombshell was revealed" during Panetta's testimony this Thursday.
Here's the way Fox covered this interview: Where Was President Obama During the Benghazi Attack? Hannity Discusses With Sen. Lindsey Graham:
On Capitol Hill yesterday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is looking into the Pentagon’s response to the Sept. 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.
The most revealing piece of information to come out of the testimony was when Panetta said that President Obama was absent on the night of the attack, in which four Americans were killed. Panetta and Dempsey said they briefed Obama during a pre-scheduled meeting at 5pm ET on that day, as events in Benghazi had just started to unfold. They said there was no communication with the president until after the attack was over more than eight hours later.
Last night, Sean Hannity discussed Obama’s absence with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who questioned Panetta at length about why the president was apparently not engaged as the attack unfolded.
Hannity called the details of the president’s whereabouts, “shocking,” while Graham said eventually Obama “has to account for his leadership.”
“This whole episode, if it had come out before the election – remember when Obama turned to Romney in the third debate and basically said, ‘I know these people, I know their families, I know their names, I would never put them in harm’s way?’. Well Mr. President, what did you do for eight hours? Who did you talk to?” Graham asked.
As Media Matters noted, Hannity is just the latest in a string of right wing media outlets to selectively edit the testimony of Panetta and Dempsey. Fox's Hannity Joins Right-Wing Media In Selectively Editing Panetta's Testimony:
In fact, Panetta testified that White House officials were kept informed of events throughout the incident.
On the February 7 edition of his Fox News program, Hannity said "a major bombshell was revealed" during Panetta's testimony during a congressional briefing that Obama "was virtually absent" during the Benghazi attack. Hannity then played segments of Panetta's testimony.
But Hannity did not air the section of Panetta's testimony in which he pointed out that information about the attack "went to the White House" and that Obama stayed in contact with military officials and was "well-informed" during the attack. Hannity also failed to air a clip of Gen. Martin Dempsey stating that White House staff "was engaged with the national military command center pretty constantly through the period, which is the way it would normally work."
Graham demanded this hearing before he'd agree to take a vote on the Chuck Hagel confirmation. Now he and his colleagues are making even more demands.
