BENGHAZI-GATE: How Fox News Is Shamelessly Politicizing Terror In Libya

The attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya was a tragic event that took the lives of four Americans serving their country. But rather than reporting what occurred with dignity and respect, Fox News immediately sought to politicize the tragedy in an effort to damage President Obama during a heated campaign. Unfortunately, their zeal to create a phony election issue has also harmed the families of the victims and the search for the truth.

In the wake of the attack there was rampant speculation as to the cause and the participants. Right-wing pundits and politicians didn’t wait for any facts before declaring their conclusions that it was premeditated terrorism. The Obama administration took a more thoughtful and responsible approach by not making any definitive statements. Conservatives portrayed that as weakness and continued to muddy the waters with baseless yammering.

As usual, Fox News took the lead in propagating rumors and innuendo. Their Fox Nation web site has published a steady stream of one-sided criticisms of the Obama administration. Amongst the wildly unfounded accusations are charges of deliberate cover-ups complete with comparisons to Watergate. Thus was born Benghazi-Gate.

Fox Nation Benghazi-Gate

Ever since the mid-1970’s scandal that drove Richard Nixon from office, partisans have been attempting to slap a “gate” at the end of any controversy. But it should be remembered that Watergate was not simply some government gaffe. It was an intentionally criminal act that included breaking into Democratic headquarters, paying off accomplices for their silence, and lying to investigators from law enforcement and congress. All of that unlawfulness was in pursuit of personal political benefits to the Nixon White House and reelection effort.

What occurred in Libya was tragic, but it was certainly not the result of someone in the White House pursuing personal gain. Nor was there any hint of corruption or clandestine plots to sabotage a political foe. Nor were there any attempts to covertly mask unlawful activity. In other words, there is nothing in this story that remotely resembles Watergate. This is just an attempt on the part of Fox to throw more mud at the President and hope that some of it sticks. It is their contribution to the Romney campaign that has been so woefully inept.

It has been less than three weeks since the Libyan embassy attack. That is hardly enough time to have conducted a thorough investigation and arrive at a conclusive decision. It doesn’t help matters with bitter partisans screaming for the heads of government agencies and even the impeachment of the President. In fact, that’s the kind of background noise that actually inhibits the process and unnecessarily incites further hostilities. Imagine the glee with which Al Qaeda would greet the news that their violent protests led to the downfall of the American president who ordered the killing of their leader. That is who the Republicans are aligning themselves with in this attempt to oust Obama from office.

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12 thoughts on “BENGHAZI-GATE: How Fox News Is Shamelessly Politicizing Terror In Libya

  1. You may not like FOX News for harping on this, and it’s interesting that you use Watergate as the standard for what’s bad stuff.

    We now have two examples — Fast and Furious and the attacks on the Libyan consulate — where people died due to acts of either omission or commission on the part of this administration. Reports are that our government knew there might be an attack on 09/11/2012 and apparently did nothing. It also knew within 24 hours that this was a planned terrorist attack. Of course, the congressional investigative committee report has not been published, but anyone with 2 cents worth of common sense knew this was a terrorist attack on the day it happened.

    Instead, the President and his administration threw out the convenient red herring — “the video”. Not only that, but even after more news reports indicated the likelihood it was a terrorist attack, CNN came up with Amb. Stevens’ diary, the Libyan president stated it was clear that it was a terrorist attack, the administration downplayed it and again pointed to that pesky video.

    I come to a similar conclusion as the author — this was a clear attempt to downplay what really happened (some might call it a cover up) so as to not hurt the President’s campaign for re-election.

    FOX News tends to jump the gun here and there. You might criticize them for sticking with this story, just as with Fast and Furious. But if not them, who? Both stories are legitimate, serious and similar in that the rest of the media has essentially ignored them.

    • First of all, I didn’t use Watergate as the standard for anything. I’m responding to right-wingers who have been making that idiotic comparison.

      Secondly, there has not been any congressional report. Congress has not even been in session.

      Thirdly, Fast and Furious was another thing that wingnuts tried to associate with Watergate (even though it began under Bush). But for the same reasons I stated above, that’s a stupid comparison.

      Finally, everything else you say is pure conjecture. That’s fine for you, but the White House has a greater burden to be thorough and accurate. They can’t go throwing around making accusations without evidence as you (and the rightist media) are doing. They are actually bound to investigate and collect proof. And they have to do that in an environment that is volatile. So they also have to be concerned about the safety of Americans around the world. It would be irresponsible and downright stupid to prance around and beat your chest. And it would get us nowhere as George Bush proved.

      • Obama is guilty of minimizing security to fit his narrative. In other words, things are “normal” in Lybya so we don’t need the proper level of security (anything else may reflect poorly on his foreign policy). Then, he tried to mask (cover-up, if you will) what happened behind some ridiculous movie. He was negligent, in the very least, or at worst, caused the deaths of four Americans in an attempt to self promote his foreign policy image. That’s disgusting.

        This thread has been quiet for a while. I suppose new developments haven’t fit YOUR narrative.

        • Thanks for taking the time to drop by and spew the Fox News talking points.

  2. Someone needs to ask the republican critics of this administration why THEY are siding with the terrorists. What ever happened to ‘you’re either with us or against us’. After they jumped the gun on this thing it was obvious they cared nothing for the facts, they only wanted to damage the admiistration with unfounded accusations and innuendo. I think most of the american people can see what is going on here. For them to accuse Obama of ignoring warnings of a terrorist attack kind of shoots holes in their fantasy of Bush bears no responsibility for 9-11 mantra after they recieved repeated warning and ignored them.

    • Exactly. Remember the Presidential Daily Briefing (that wingnuts are now falsely accusing Obama of not reading) titled “Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US?” That was one month before 9/11. Bush was vacationing in Crawford.

  3. My sister was going on and on about this the other night…and she’ll tell you she ‘never lsitens to Fox.’ Maybe not, but she spends her evenings on the far rightwing blogs looking for anything she can pin on the President. She was irate about that flag artwork (that I bet the President never saw, let alone APPROVED) and now I read on a hate blog that the President is planning to get this, replace the American flag with these Obama flags in November!! Oh my. The sky is falling. There are people calling them out for being gullible, but they are sticking to their “he’s a Muslim who hates America and won’t let our kids pledge allegiance and wants to take God off the money..” wow…and I thought he was plenty busy running the country? He really is Superman! But there is no reasoning with these idiots. They want to hate, and they grasp at any little thing that feeds their narrative.

    • I think that you should look at reading your sister the riot act; either she stops reading these blogs and the bullshit they spew, or you break off all contact with her and disown her. Also, tell her that if she doesn’t get some counselling for what is clearly mental illness, the same will happen. It’s the only way to be sure.

    • Busy running the country into the ground. You like to blame fox news, but I got news for you they are not the only news in town that knows there is a cover up. Follow up on the hearings on this and you might learn a thing or too. Maybe switch from MSNBC and their hateful garbage and try checking out others for a more balanced review of what is going on. My biggest fear is he will get re-elected and all you left wing boobs will see that we are right but it will be too late, then we’ll have to listen to ya’ll cry about how he fooled you yet again, sad part is you drag the rest of us down with you!!

      • Kimberly,

        You are right. Obama needs to be impeached for using executive privilege to cover-up “Fast and Furious” and now there is ample evidences the Obama and the Admin lied and are covering up Benghazi.

        If he had a backbone, Obama would resign like Nixon.

      • Busy running what into the ground? PLEASE stop talking bullshit, and find something else to be concerned about.

  4. Good job Mark, I’m sick of Fox News 24/7 airing Fast and Furious and Lybia Benghazi-Gate.Call me naive but seems to me the so call cover up is about rather the administration called it a terrorist attack or a act of violence in response to a vile video.What you call it doesn’t matter. What matters is justice be done.Cover up get real. This means some facts are required in what report is there proof the administration knew in advance and did nothing to prevent the attack.Just for argument sake even if there was proof it proves incompetence not a crime. If that’s the case Let’s not talk about incompetence when four airplanes were hi-jacked on American soil killed..well you know where I’m going with this and the Bush administration had warnings yet did nothing where was Fox News The witch hunt known as Fast and Furious by the way the whole gun running operation scheme started under the Bush administration. Exploitation and Politicization is Fast and Furious

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