Can the American people thank recalcitrant Republicans and grandstanding politicians for some of the truth finally coming out about Benghazi?
The next time you criticize politicians for gridlock, consider this.
The big story today is the report from ABC News’ Jon Karl that Benghazi talking points underwent 12 revisions, and were scrubbed of references to terrorism.
As Karl notes, some of the email summaries were first published by Stephen Hayes of the Weekly Standard. And in Hayes’ report, he notes that the White House first made these email summaries available to House and Senate intelligence committees via an “arrangement as part of a deal that would keep Republican senators from blocking the confirmation of John Brennan, the president’s choice to run the CIA.”
So maybe there was a method to the madness?
Consider this from March:
“Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. will not move forward President Obama’s nominee to head the CIA until they receive additional documents detailing the White House’s handling of the Sept. 11 attack on a U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, the pair said today on ‘Face the Nation.'”
“John and I are hell-bent on making sure the American people understand this debacle called Benghazi,” Graham said, vowing to “stop” John Brennan’s confirmation until further information is released about the attack that left four Americans dead. A Tuesday vote is currently scheduled in the Senate Intelligence Committee.
At the time, you might have been scratching your head thinking, “Why are they going to hold up Brennan’s nomination over this?” After all, Republicans want to avoid looking like all they do is oppose things. And besides, the American public seem disinterested in punishing the Obama administration over Benghazi.
Surely, it wasn’t smart politics — not at the time, at least. But now, perhaps, we understand why politicians sometimes move in mysterious ways.