McCain: ‘Surprised’ By Report That DNI Removed Terrorism References In Rice’s Benghazi Talking Point

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

McCain: ‘Surprised’ By Report That DNI Removed Terrorism References In Rice’s Benghazi Talking Points

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) released a statement on Tuesday in which he responded to reports that the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) scrubbed references to Al-Qaeda from the unclassified talking points used by United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice and others following the September attack in Benghazi.

McCain said the revelation runs counter to what he was told by intelligence officials during Senate hearings and serves as another reminder of why he and other Republicans are "suspicious" of the Obama administration's response to the attack.

The statement:

“I am somewhat surprised and frustrated to read reports that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence was responsible for removing references to Al-Qaeda from the unclassified talking points about the Benghazi attack that Ambassador Susan Rice and other officials used in the early days after September 11, 2012. I participated in hours of hearings in the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence last week regarding the events in Benghazi, where senior intelligence officials were asked this very question, and all of them – including the Director of National Intelligence himself – told us that they did not know who made the changes. Now we have to read the answers to our questions in the media. There are many other questions that remain unanswered. But this latest episode is another reason why many of us are so frustrated with, and suspicious of, the actions of this Administration when it comes to the Benghazi attack.”

-30-

Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/mccain-surprised-by-report-that-dni-removed-terrorism?ref=fpa

---

Need some background info? Check out this link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014312284

[BeyondGeography]

1. In other words, further evidence of my assholery prove that Watergate-style hearings are essential

[Cosmocat]

26. lol

that is about it ...

[Lasher]

27. Right, he wants to be Ken Starr.

Here's why:

John McCain's Benghazi Committee Plan Would Give Senator New Relevance

WASHINGTON -- Just four years ago, John McCain was the leader of the GOP. Today, he's the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, a perch from which the former fighter pilot is deeply engaged in the national conversation over war, terrorism and intelligence gathering.

But in January, the Arizona senator will lose his top-ranking committee seat due to term limits. The only ranking Republican spot available to him next session will be on the Indian Affairs Committee.

Unless, that is, the Senate creates a brand-new select committee. On Wednesday, McCain, flanked by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), proposed just that: a select committee with extensive authority to investigate the Benghazi, Libya, attack and the U.S. government's response.

The Republican most likely to hold the ranking spot on such a panel would be, of course, John McCain, giving the Arizona senator a new burst of relevance.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/john-mccain-benghazi-committee_n_2145457.html

[ThoughtCriminal]

36. I'm worried about how much damage

McCain can do on the Indian Affairs Committee.

We really do need to create a special committee just for loose cannons and nut cases. Seat Cushion Oversight or something like that.

[Lasher]

38. Not to worry, he doesn't care about the Indian Affairs Committee one way or the other.

If he can't get the attention and financial support he craves as a neocon warmonger, he'll go into a fetal position and continue to blame everybody else because he is an asshole.

[EC]

2. Oh, just go home.

That's enough of you, sir.

[iemitsu]

3. Fuck you McCain.

Where was your concern when Bush/Cheney/Condi were lying their fool faces off to the American public?

[The Magistrate]

4. Hell, Sir, McCain By Now Would Be Surprised By a Piece Of Paper Blown In the Wind

The man is lost, utterly and absolutely....

[jtuck004]

5. Later, when Senator McCain was advised that it was Tuesday, he remarked that he was

surprised about that as well.

He seems to be surprised about a lot of things lately.

[ReformedGOPer]

6. Could someone please

pull Gramps aside to remind him that he and his party lost the election? There must be someone in the GOP who would be willing to intervene.

[hrmjustin]

16. Welcome to DU!

[benld74]

7. Suprised like this John?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

or suprised like this

[truthisfreedom]

8. Obama to McCain... "Get offa my lawn."

[TrollBuster9090]

9. While I used to have a lot of respect for McCain, frankly these days he's 'surprised' if he arrives

at work, takes off his overcoat, and sees that he's NOT still wearing his pajamas.

[Caeser67]

10. I have spoken to Bill Frist

And he has allowed me to use his Video Diagnosis. So as I sit in front of my Samsung Smart TV, I can assuredly report to all of you that John McCain is suffering from Severe PTSD. Please Sir, resign, retire, seek treatment, and get some rest. Do it for your Country's sake.

Forward. Together, or Without You.

[AnnaLee]

11. Maybe thats part of what he missed when he DIDN'T attend the meetings

[blue_heron]

28. LOL

[liberalmuse]

12. I guess Obama should have set the terror color to orange.

Christ! I can't even listen to lefty radio because even the mention of McCain and the asshat Republicans who are trying to drum up a scandal over nothing has me furious. If Republicans are going to pull something out of their asses, can't it be jobs instead?

[Uben]

13. A warped, frustrated old man......

....did I mention piece of shit republican shill? McCain should retire before he embarasses his family even more.

[BlueStater]

14. Just shut the fuck up and retire, you disgusting, wrinkled old hypocrite.

Where was your outrage with Condoleezza Rice, you sickening, senile sack of anal waste? You disgrace yourself and the state of Arizona everytime you open your fucking mouth.

[johnfunk]

15. McCain: "Surprised" Cloud Did Not Shout Back at Him

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) released a statement on Tuesday in which he responded to reports that he had ranted incoherently at a cloud floating overhead while he was standing outside the Capitol Building on Monday afternoon.

McCain said the cloud's "refusal to respond to my inquiries on behalf of the American people" is "tantamount to a cover-up."

The statement:

“I am somewhat surprised and frustrated that the cloud from which I was demanding answers refused to respond to my inquiries about the Benghazi attack that Ambassador Susan Rice and other officials used in the early days after September 11, 2012. I participated in hours of yelling at numerous clouds last week, including a particularly uncooperative cumulonimbus formation, regarding the events in Benghazi. Multiple upper atmosphere phenomena were asked this very question, and all of them – including a cirrus cloud positioned directly over the office of the Director of National Intelligence himself – would not say a word. Now we have to read the answers to our questions in the Drudge Report. There are many other questions that remain unanswered -- where is the silver lining for the GOP following the ignominious election defeats of 2012? Why do they constantly rain on my parade? This latest episode is another reason why many of us are so frustrated with, and suspicious of, the actions of clouds when it comes to the Benghazi attack.”

[alterfurz]

39. "Big deal! When I was a pup...

...we got spanked by presidents 'til the cows came home! Grover Cleveland spanked me on two non-consecutive occasions!"

[Tom Ripley]

17. McCain: Surprised by explanation of how magnets work

[olddad56]

19. or even a light switch for that matter.

[olddad56]

18. I'm surprised that this demented old codger still has the cognitive capacity to be surprised.

[yellowcanine]

20. Maybe if he hadn't skipped that briefing to grandstand in front of the cameras he would not be so

surprised.

[David Zephyr]

21. Surprised? No, Shamed is the proper word, Mr. McCain.

Mr. McCain, you were shamed, not surprised.

[DCBob]

22. Well then its time for McSenile to appologize to Rice on Meet the Press.

She is not responsible for the what intelligence officials said or did. What an angry arrogant fool.

[Grassy Knoll]

23. At his age he should be surprised he wakes up. n/t

[november3rd]

24. ONI

The Office of Naval Intelligence is a very potent covert operations (and everything else) spook shop. They are involved in politics, global trade, media, not to mention military affairs.

They are up to something in this Benghazi thing brouhaha. They are all Republican'ts.

At the heart of ONI: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Andrew_Marshall

[AlexDeLarge]

25. I'm surprised that

McCain isn't in a nursing home. Surprised? By the fact that you skipped a briefing on Benghazi to appear at a news conference compaining that you aren't being given more information on Benghazi. Are you really that STUPID Mr. McCain. Only Arizona would elect someone as incompetent and self-serving as you. Surprised? I have a one word to reply to that: Palin.

[Turbineguy]

29. Where has this poor man been?

He needs to re-read his Gracian or Machiavelli.

[still_one]

30. your a fool mccain, and you have made yourself look like an ass again. When you selected palin, you

looked like an ass. When you voted against a day honoring Martin Luther King you looked like an ass, when you were in Iraq with your flac jacket telling everyone Amercians could safely walk through the street you looked like a fool. I could keep going, but maybe it is time for you to retire

[blue_heron]

31. Why he should not be surprised

The only office that 'outranks' and can over-rule CIA is the DNI. DNI was my first guess when they said the talking points had been modified for release to the public and that the CIA had agreed to the changes. As he says so condescendingly about Rice, he should have "known" this.

[TwilightGardener]

32. Rice's comments on the matter didn't determine what happened next in

dealing with the Libya situation (unlike, say, Powell and Condi Rice trying to convince us that we should invade Iraq). I cannot for the life of me understand why it matters what Rice or Obama called the attack, or what they initially attributed it to. IT DOESN'T FUCKING MATTER. The only reason it matters to Republicans is because they want something to hang on Obama. This whole thing is so asinine.

[Ligyron]

33. That's right

The only question in my mind is: why was the ambassador at a CIA spook/safe house, ... er, I mean "consulate" in the first place? What was the CIA up to there?

[ronnie624]

35. There's no mystery, there.

Last edited Thu Nov 22, 2012, 01:25 AM - Edit history (1)

The CIA is doing what it has been doing in the region for decades: supporting one faction of extremists, instead of another (which may or may not have been installed by the US, to begin with), which happen to be more conducive to US interests, at the moment. There is also nothing unusual about US embassies working with the CIA. It is absolutely standard procedure.

Latin American joke:

Why has there never been a coup d'etat in the United States?

Because there is no US embassy there.

[bitchkitty]

34. Dear John,

Please shut the fuck up. No special committee for you.

That said, I can find plenty of things to dislike about you. Your age is not one of them.

Sincerely,

bitchkitty
----------------------------------------------------------

Some of the people on this thread are such fucking assholes. Pile on someone for his age? That's just as bad as teabaggers hating Obama for his race. Fuck you.

[lunatica]

37. You know I always had his number and didn't like him

But I'm afraid I'm learning to really despise him now. The way he's bullied Ambassador Susan Rice is profoundly disgusting. Isn't he supposed to be a man of honor or some such myth?