Benghazigate Hearings Turn Toward Truth… Finally

Obama Was Absent During Benghazi Attack — Shocking Truths Emerge At Second Senate Libya Hearing

The Blaze…: The Benghazi scandal has been treated by critics of the Obama administration as an example of extreme administrative malfeasance up to this point. Given the swift appearance of a photo showing President Obama seemingly embroiled in discussing matters with his advisers on national security after the attack, such an interpretation is not at all surprising.

But what if it’s wrong? What if the problem on the night of Benghazi was not extreme incompetence, but simply extreme negligence? What if, in fact, the people treated as the two most relevant actors in this drama — President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton — weren’t made aware and didn’t do anything about it?

That is the ‘latest’ interpretation that has emerged from a series of shocking admissions (or are they just the latest spin to divert and manipulate the Congress and the American people, for there seems to be a lot of evidence to the contrary… see links below??) by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday. Each of these admissions — breathlessly reported by the Weekly Standard and CNSNews — paints a picture of a White House that was perilously disengaged from the crisis as it was happening in real time.

First, there was the bombshell that not only was President Obama not involved in the process except for a single phone call, but he was absent entirely from the White House during the attack. Video (all videos courtesy of the Weekly Standard) and reporting follows:

Really? Remember: Catherine Herridge: ‘This is the Smoking Gun Warning’ of a Coming Attack in Benghazi …After Emails That Obama Administration Watched Attack and Murders in Real-Time… And Did Nothing! – REPORT: Obama administration was warned about attacks, did nothing – 9.14.12

From CNS:

Panetta and Dempsey had a pre-scheduled meeting with Obama at 5:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Sept. 11. The meeting lasted about thirty minutes. After it was over, they did not hear from Obama again or anybody else at the White House.

“Did you have any further communications with him that night?” Ayotte asked Panetta.

“No,” said Panetta.

“Did you have any other further communications? Did he ever call you that night to say how are things going, what’s going on, where’s the consulate?” asked Ayotte.

“No,” said Panetta. “But we were aware as we were getting information about what was taking place there, particularly when we got information that the ambassador, his life had been lost, we were aware that that information went to the White House.”

“Did you communicate with anyone else at the White House that night?” asked Ayotte.

“No,” said Panetta.

“No one else called you to say: How are things going?” asked Ayotte.

“No,” said Panetta.

Barely twenty minutes later, under questioning from South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, General Dempsey and Defense Secretary Panetta admitted that military assets had not been used at all in the attack. Why? Watch and read on:

The Weekly Standard:

“Was any DoD asset–aircraft or individual soldier–ever sent or put in motion to help these people before the attack was over?” asked Republican senator Lindsey Graham. “My question is did anybody leave any base anywhere to go to the aid of the people under attack in Benghazi, Libya, before the attack ended?”

“No,” Panetta responded. “Because the attack ended before they could get off the ground.”

“Okay, and we didn’t know how long it would last,” Graham added.

Ten minutes later, Dempsey admitted to being shocked that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hadn’t known about the diplomatic cable from Ambassador Chris Stevens pleading for help prior to the attacks, once more under questioning from Graham:

And speaking of Clinton, after another 30 minutes, another bombshell emerged: Secretary of Clinton hadn’t corresponded with the military or Department of Defense at all about the Benghazi attacks. In fact, neither Dempsey nor Panetta had any conversations with Clinton. Hmmm….???? Colonel: Hillary Made The Decision Not to Post Marines at Benghazi

Remember the week of Hillary testimony and the lovefest thereafter?

Lovefest on Syrupy Minutes to Manipulate You

Hillary Lets the Jihadist Cat Out of Bag

Hillary Tap Dancing and Snapping… Makes Her Look as Guilty as Most Everyone Believes

Bill Whittle – What Difference Does It Make? (Video)

RUSH: No coincidence that Hillary’s $25 mil campaign debt was just paid off the week before she testified / Exactly what I thought!

Hillary Doesn’t Deserve Our Admiration or Another Shot at the Presidency

The Weekly Standard:

Republican Ted Cruz asked both Leon Panetta and Martin Dempsey, “In between 9:42 p.m., Benghazi time, when the first attacks started, and 5:15 am, when Mr. Doherty and Mr. Woods lost their lives, what converations did either of you have with Secretary Clinton?”

“We did not have any conversations with Secretary Clinton,” Panetta responded.

“And General Dempsey, the same is true for you?” Cruz asked. Dempsey confirmed this.

Given these revelations, one wonders in what possible context the previously photographed meeting between President Obama and his advisers on national security could have taken place. Or, if that meeting did concern Benghazi, why the President showed such little interest in responding to the crisis in real time.

Video: Rand Paul Makes It Clear: ‘I Really Think’ The Admin May Have Had a ‘Gun-Running Operation’ in Libya

TheBlaze: Few Democratic or Republican leaders have been as outspoken in their views on the Benghazi debacle and the administration’s role in a potential gun-running scheme than Senator Rand Paul. In fact, the Kentucky Republican excoriated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her recent testimony on the matter, saying that if he had been president at the time, he would have “relieved” her of her post.

Since then, the senator has been consistently pressing the administration for answers on whether it had been running guns through Libya, thereby catalyzing the death of Ambassador Stevens.

A partial transcript of the senator’s Thursday appearance on Fox News featuring his key points on the issue is featured below [emphasis added]:

I really think part of the cause may have been there was a gun running operation going on in Benghazi, leaving Libya and going to Turkey and distributing arms to the rebels… They’ve interviewed the captain of the ship. A ship from Libya sailed for Turkey a week before the ambassador was killed. It was full of arms and they interviewed the captain and he actually specifically talks about the distribution of the arms to Syrian rebels… And I think the administration needs to answer, ‘are they running guns through Turkey to Syria?’

While not as direct as Paul, House Speaker John Boehner indicated in late January that he, too, might have knowledge of a potential gun-running scheme via an alleged “classified source.” And going further back, since Hillary listed events going back to 1979 in her testimony, why didn’t someone ask… What did Hillary know and when did she know it and why has she flown under the radar on “Operation Gun Walker? and how all this could tie back to that operation and Fast and Furious?!? And how about a prior Bombshell: Obama Administration Withdrew 16 Member Special Forces Team From Libya One Month Before Attack

(h/t: Jim Hoft)

Senators challenge military leaders on Benghazi attack response and McCain said after hearings: Not enough was done to prevent Benghazi murders

If you have not followed the Benghazigate saga please take some time to inform yourself below (And there is a lot more information all over the Internet):

TRANSCRIPT: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s testimony on Benghazi

Hillary’s contempt of Congress

WH (Of Course) Says It Agrees With Hillary When She Said “It Doesn’t Make A Difference” Who Killed 4 Americans In Benghazi

Hillary Lets the Jihadist Cat Out of Bag

Hillary: I Never Saw Benghazi Security Requests

RAND PAUL BRINGS IT!… BLASTS Hillary Clinton! With Your Leaving YOU Accept Culpability for Benghazi!

Hillary Clinton GOES OFF on Sen. Ron Johnson During Benghazi Hearing

John McCain: Bring Benghazi Survivors to Capitol Hill

Sept. 11 Benghazi attackers found among terrorists attacking Algerian gas complex

Hillary Lies Re: Never Seeing Requests For More Security: Reuters Published Requests to Entire World 6/6

17 of the Best Hillary Clinton Faces (and Hand Gestures) From Her Benghazi Hearing

‘Flat-Out Bullsh*t’: Limbaugh Weighs in on Clinton’s Benghazi Testimony