UPDATED: McCain Satisfied With WH Benghazi Response, Ready To Press On With Hagel Vote

[DonViejo]

Last edited Thu Feb 14, 2013, 04:05 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: TPM

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said Thursday that the White House's response to his and other Republican senators' questions on the September attack in Benghazi, Libya was satisfactory. The senior Arizona senator said he is now ready to find a way to end the filibuster that is holding up the confirmation vote for defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel, CNN reported.

"I think it was an adequate response, yes," McCain said. "We are working on and having negotiations now trying to smooth this thing out and get it done."

McCain said he is now trying to get answers to questions posed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) regarding Hagel's sources of income. If those inquiries are answered, McCain said, there won't be a need to end the filibuster with a vote. Instead, the Senate could move to vote a straight up-or-down vote on Hagel, which would require only a simple majority of 51 votes to be confirmed.

In response to questions raised by McCain and other GOP senators, White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler said in a letter released Thursday that President Barack Obama placed a phone call to Libyan President Magariaf on the day after the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi that left four Americans dead.

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Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/mccain-satisfied-with-wh-benghazi-response-ready-to

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UPDATE:

White House Obama Spoke To Libyan President Night After Benghazi Attack

DAVID TAINTOR 1:25 PM EST, THURSDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2013
Responding to a letter from Republican senators, who asked whether President Obama spoke with Libyan officials on the night of the Benghazi attack, White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler said in a letter Thursday that Obama called Libyan President Magariaf on the following day.

"As to the specific question in your February 12 letter, Secretary Clinton called Libyan President Magariaf on behalf of the President on the evening of September 11, 2012 to coordinate additional support to protect Americans in Libya and access to Libyan territory," Ruemmler wrote in the letter, obtained by Politico. "At that time, President Magariaf expressed his condemnation and condolences and pledged his government's full cooperation. The President spoke to President Magariaf on the evening of September 12."

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http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/white-house-counsel-obama-spoke-to-libyan-president?ref=fpb

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WH: Obama didn't speak to Libyans on day of attack

By JOSH GERSTEIN | 2/14/13 12:53 PM EST

President Barack Obama did not speak with Libyan leaders as the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi was under way last September, the White House acknowleged Thursday in a letter to lawmakers.

White House Counsel Kathy Ruemmler said then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did reach out to Libyan President Mohamed Magariaf at Obama's request on the same day the attack began, but Obama didn't personally call the Libyan leader until the following night.

"Secretary Clinton called Libyan President Magariaf on behalf of the president on the evening of September 11, 2012 to coordinate additional support to protect Americans in Libya and access to Libyan territory. At that time, President Magariaf expressed his condemnation and condolences and pledged his government's full cooperation," Ruemmler wrote. "The President spoke to President Magariaf on the evening of September 12."

The letter (posted here) was a response to a query Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) sent to the president on Tuesday, asking: "During the eight hours the U.S. mission was under attack, did you personally speak with any officials in the Libyan government to request assistance for our American personnel?"

more:
http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/02/wh-obama-didnt-speak-to-libyans-on-day-of-attack-157054.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. I don't believe a word that comes out of that lying bastard's mouth.

[TwilightGardener]

17. Update, 5 hours later: I was right. Lying bastard.

[spartan61]

2. So does this mean his little buddy Lindsey

will follow too? It's sickening to see these two joined at the hip hypocrites always doing what they can do to get face time. Do they have any other friends except for each other?

[riverbendviewgal]

3. Maybe my email convinced him

I told him the world is watching them all...His mean party ..and that he should be very ashamed..

[BlueStreak]

4. Tr: "I got all the attention I could whore out of this, and now I'm looking for a way

to not be embarrassed when the final vote is heavily in Hagel's favor."

There will be at least 75 votes for Hagel, as I have said for weeks. And McCain can't stand the thought of ending up on the 25 end of that vote. Basically that would be a repudiation of all the shit he has been spewing for the past 3 months. So now he is looking for a way to say "I forced the administration to address all their problems. I am the white knight here. And, oh by the way, I am voting for my old friend Hagel -- in fact, it was my idea in the first place that he be the Sec of Defense. I am glas the President finally came around to my way of thinking. It is about time."

There could be 90 votes for Hagel in that case.

[TwilightGardener]

11. I think Hagel gets 59 or 60 votes, tops. These GOP Senators are not acting

on their own beliefs or principles--they are either trying to appease the Teabaggers in opposing Obama for re-election purposes, or they're acting on orders from the defense industry and the neocon or the RW Israel lobby (Adelson, Kristol and company, where most of the Repub talking points on Hagel originate).

[BlueStreak]

16. My opinion, if the dam bursts GOP senators will scurry to high ground

I think there is a 25% chance they will sustain a filibuster, forcing Obama to kill the nomination -- although the odd seem to be dropping, based on McCain's statement.

Once Senators see that opposition is futile, many of them will want to back Hagel. There really is very little upside to voting against him in a losing cause. That just bolsters the argument that the GOP is nothing but obstructionists.

But we shall see. Maybe I am giving Republicans way too much credit for having any brains.

[tblue37]

20. Like Donald Trump claiming that he forced Obama to present his "long form" birth certificate. nt

[Iggo]

5. Yeah.

Sure.

[KansDem]

6. Are you sure about this, John?

You might want to ask about Benghazi. Or you could back up a bit and ask about Benghazi. Maybe you could jump ahead and ask about Benghazi. And there's always Benghazi or Benghazi.

And don't forget to ask about Benghazi...

[calimary]

7. Feh - gee isn't that big of him.

He stirs up the shitstorm to begin with. Now he's playing pretend peacemaker.

Can you say WORTHLESS???????

[goclark]

19. Worthless McPain

Always looking for attention.

[mikeytherat]

8. Sen. McCain admits horse is, indeed, dead. Drops stick, walks away.

mikey_the_rat

[Kber]

9. Self Aggrandizing Prick

just saying.

[mnhtnbb]

13. Right. How arrogant.

[global1]

10. Always One More Condition.....

If I'm not mistaken - didn't McCain come out against Cruz impugning Hagel with that stupid request on the sources of income. And now he's supporting Cruz by trying to get answers to his questions?

What the hell is wrong with McCain?

[Arkana]

12. Well OK then.

I don't give a shit if he votes for confirmation or not--that's 59. We need one more to break it.

[yellowcanine]

14. Translation: "This is starting to make me look like a teabagger so I need to end it."

[TwilightGardener]

15. Sounds like they're trying to delay it for at least another week--gotta keep fishin' for

the magic dirt that will take him out.

[CreekDog]

18. But first...

Watch this drive!



(doesn't seem to be in any hurry)

[ButterflyBlood]

21. His excuse is obviously bullshit, so what is the real reason?

Did the Republicans actually realize how much of fucking fools they were looking like?