In response to Carney Spins, Claims WH Document ‘Not About Benghazi’:
“Spin” is a generous euphemism for the disgraceful deceptions this “public servant” spouts on a daily basis. Never forget – the White House Press Secretary works for the American people. He owes us the truth – and we are not getting it from him.
According to Judicial Watch, the Rhodes email was sent on Friday, September 14, 2012, at 8:09 p.m. with the subject line: “RE: PREP CALL with Susan, Saturday at 4:00 pm ET.”
The documents show that the “prep” was for Amb. Rice’s Sunday news show appearances to discuss the Benghazi attack.
The document lists as a “Goal”: “To underscore that these protests are rooted in and Internet video, and not a broader failure or policy.”
Rhodes returns to the “Internet video” scenario later in the email, the first point in a section labeled “Top-lines”:
[W]e’ve made our views on this video crystal clear. The United States government had nothing to do with it. We reject its message and its contents. We find it disgusting and reprehensible. But there is absolutely no justification at all for responding to this movie with violence. And we are working to make sure that people around the globe hear that message.
Among the top administration PR personnel who received the Rhodes memo were White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, Deputy Press Secretary Joshua Earnest, then-White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, then-White House Deputy Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri, then-National Security Council Director of Communications Erin Pelton, Special Assistant to the Press Secretary Howli Ledbetter, and then-White House Senior Advisor and political strategist David Plouffe.
Earlier that day on September 14, Jay Carney (who has repeatedly denied that the talking points came from the White House) was already applying said talking points.
Jake Tapper asked Carney if the anniversary of September 11 might have been a good time to have extra security around diplomat and military posts.
After assuring us that they are always very vigilant on anniversaries like 9/11 (no they’re not), Jay said, but “let’s be clear….these protests were in reaction to a VIDEO that had spread to the region….”Jake: “In Benghazi?”Jay: “We don’t know otherwise. We have no information to suggest that it was a pre-planned attack.” (Yes they had) “The unrest we’ve seen around the region has been in reaction to a video that many Muslims find offensive, and while the violence is reprehensible and unjustified it is not a reaction to 9/11 or US policy.”
During that 9/14 presser, he drove home the talking point that the violence was in reaction to the video – and not US policy.
“This is a fairly volatile situation and it’s in response – not to US policy – not to – obviously the administration, or the American people – it was in response to…. a video – a film that we have judged to be reprehensible and disgusting, that in no way justifies any violent reaction to it. But this is not a case of protests directed at the United States writ large or US policy – this is in response to a video that is offensive to Muslims.”
Reading from his script, he said “We reject its contents, we find it both disgusting and reprehensible. America has a history of religious tolerance and has respect for religious beliefs, and that respect goes back to our nation’s founding.”
During past pressers, Carney reacted with righteous indignation to charges that the bogus Benghazi talking points might have come from the White House.
“It has been repeatedly said by some of the critics on this issue on the Hill that the White House provided talking points. That has been categorically refuted not just by us but by the intelligence community, and yet it’s still periodically said on the air. And it’s just wrong,” Carney lied in November of 2012.
In May of 2013, Carney lied, “the White House involvement in any changes that were made to the so-called talking points were extremely minimal and non-substantive.”
Both Ben Rhodes and Jay Carney should step down for not being truthful in reaction to the Benghazi attack – reacting like political fixers rather than taking their responsibilities seriously. And they both need to be questioned under oath on Capitol Hill about their roles in the deceptions.
What I wouldn’t give to see Jay Carney questioned by Congressman Trey Gowdy.
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