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‘Real News’: Debate Was a Fight, But Did Crowley Deliver the TKO?

Oct. 17, 2012 7:37pm Christopher Santarelli

Both presidential candidates were aggressive during the town hall style debate on Long Island Tuesday night, but the talk Wednesday morning has centered on whether moderator Candy Crowley overstepped her bounds regarding an exchange where Mitt Romney claimed it took President Barack Obama 14 days to call what happened on September 11 of this year in Benghazi “an act of terror.” The president claimed he called it an act of terror the day after the attack, and Crowley concurred to cheers from the crowd.

In fact, on September 12 from the rose garden Obama did say “No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for.”

But as Noah Rothman writes in Mediaite Wednesday morning, context of both his cabinet statements for two weeks after the attack and in the rest of the president’s own September 12 speech indicates that the Obama administration did not label what happened in Benghazi a terrorist attack for some time.

“No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for,” said Obama in the Rose Garden on September 12, after two paragraphs of recounting how Americans responded to the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Obama campaign, knowing that they had advanced a false narrative for weeks and were being called on it, found the word “terror” in his initial response and relied on that speech to show that the president had known the Libya attack was terror all along.

This is wildly offensive to everyone who followed the story closely, but the president seemed to think that he could perhaps get away with it if he had the assistance of complicit journalists who would not fact check that hard. He could not have known the kind of gift he would receive from Candy Crowley — amid a presidential debate, no less.

While Crowley has since walked back her actions a bit, the damage is done. Is there a silver lining though for the Romney campaign that is confident Obama is in the wrong for his original reaction to attack ,which will now certainly be a large focus of the next debate on foreign policy?

Watch a clip below from ‘Real News’ Wednesday breaking down the debate and the implications of what some have labeled Crowley’s false fact-check:

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Comments (33)

watashbuddyfriend
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 11:58am
Why must we see Liberal networks with Liberal Hosts at each debate?

Why even have a socalled debate?

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RiChBoY333
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 8:18am
ya know i really dont know too much about all this stuff tuesday night was my first time watching a debate… im 21. voted for obama in 2008 and have been regretting it every year since. i just think we need obummer a.k.a oblamer, out of that offfice. and a real american needs to be running our country. i am not rascist one bit.

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Goldi-lox
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 6:14am
One word: SETUP.

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Goldi-lox
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 6:11am
Is Candy related to Aleister?? (also known as Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast 666)

http://ultra-culture.com/tag/candy-crowley/

http://listverse.com/2012/09/22/10-facts-about-the-great-beast-aleister-crowley/

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denkat56
Posted on October 18, 2012 at 4:45am
yes she did. she had no control over the president, his name calling, his lies, and his dispparaging remarks. the little dictator wouldve lost it, if it werent for mz. crowely.

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- bobdiamond
  Posted on October 18, 2012 at 5:39am
  I think the President did lose the debate, Candy Crowley aside. Read political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
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marinedad3
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 11:34pm
why do the republicans agree to debates where all of the moderators are liberals? Do they not have the pachangas to simply say, ” we will show up when the debates are moderated fairly, Until that time they will just be monologues!”

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christianUSA
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 10:22pm
Opinion Candy moderator unfairly gave Obama extra 10% time, help arguing against Romney, lying about facts, wording to redirect reframe questions against Romney, granting Obama rebut time but refusing it to Romney; After she point out SHE got applauses but it is not her place or job of a fair moderator; it is now clear why prior to the debate she refused to commit to not asking questions so she knowingly intended to interject her questions and bias into the debate therefore she did so bias and unbalanced in this major job so misrepresented herself; debate rules: the moderator will not ask follow-up questions or comment on either the questions asked by the audience or the answers of the candidates during the debate; farther more consider: that she HAD the transcripts ready, and by her statement she read them in detail so KNEW her affirmation of Obama was a misrepresentation; so she was greatly prepared in detail on specific point of confusion misrepresentation by Obama and helped reinforce him publicly! How did she know to prepare on that specific absurd new lie? Romney reaction clearly shows moment of thought considering even info by someone of different ideology, views, on opposite side and that he sense treachery; these are things I want in a president someone who sense trouble and will at least consider different views and think rather than read from teleprompter or help lines from moderator. Oh Romney still won.

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strawberry411a
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:31pm
Crowley will NEVER be taken seriously again no matter how hard she tries to seem reflective and unbiased.

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hi
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:28pm
It’s okay. Romney will deliver a final blow at the next debate and cover Obama’s incompetence. Also, Even people who don’t follow politics know that Obama blamed the video for 2 weeks.

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:38pm
  Beck put this all to rest when he showed, and quoted, news releases from ABC, LA Times, Fox, and CNN dated September 21, 2012. In all of their news releases, they stated that the Obama administration, “for the first time,” admitted that the Libyan attack was an act of terror. They were referring to the previous day, Thursday, September 20, 2012.
  
  Note that September 20, 2012, was nine days after the Libyan attack. It was not the next day in the Rose Garden, as the liars have stated. That’s using the medias own words.
  
  Report this comment
DagneyT
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:12pm
She’s evidently a pal of Hugh Hewitt, and he’s going to have her on his show. I’d be interested to hear what she has to say in her defense. It was appalling how she aided and abetted the malfeasance of this crook and imposter living in OUR White House!

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- Leadthemtothelight
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:14pm
  The only way Crowley could have delivered a TKO to Romney is if she fell on him.
  
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- The_Jerk
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:20pm
  Crowley is a liar. She had the transcript. She knew that what she was saying was false. That’s a lie.
  
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grammaterri
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:02pm
What are the odds she would have a transcript of the speech from the rose garden on the podium? It smells!!!

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:15pm
  Think about it. Not only was the transcript available, but 0bama knew it was there too. Big time set up.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:20pm
  Hi RJJ,
  
  And Obama and Candy knew they didn’t have time to read the entire transcript to get the context correct just those few words. What a set up!!!
  
  I glad Candy walked it back on CNN today.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:36pm
  Hey RJJ,
  
  Did you notice that mom made a rare appearance today?
  
  She’s a hoot….. wish she posted more. : )
  
  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/occupy-the-debate-slideshow-from-ows-at-romney-obama-debate/?corder=desc#comments
  
  Report this comment
Just in time
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:01pm
BHO seemed very upset about the fact that he totally neglected his job as Commander- In- Chief to protect American citizens on American soil. And Romney pointed out that the Obama administration said that it was about a video trailer on you-tube, put out in July. Big Fail. Lying by omission is not what Americans are looking for in a president.

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Mr.Fitnah
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 8:59pm
She drove a stake through Obamas dream.

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drs1969
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 8:56pm
No one will ever live to see a phonier debate than this. First I noticed how the ‘folks’ were reading off of cards, instead of just asking their questions. Then I noticed how BHO was reciting his lines from memory, after several days of practice. Then I noticed how, when it got to hot for him, he started calling ‘Candy’, wanting her to save him.
Finally, I noticed how many several of the questioners were Jewish and started wondering if they were holding this debate at a synagogue. I looked up that area and found they were 17% of the population. They are only 2% of the population vs. 2% of the nation’s. Next week the debate will be in a town, that according to one website, is 91% and 40% for the county surrounding.
Tail continues to wag dog.

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- Chromo200
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:10pm
  DRS1969 Nice observation and great comment … “Then I noticed how BHO was reciting his lines from memory, after several days of practice”
  
  It now makes sense to me why he was talking in short sentences. His speech was not flowing like when he reads from a teleprompter.
  
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Gary_K
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 8:49pm
Crowley was a terrible moderator. She interrupted Romney often, gave barry (father unknown) extra time and her facial expressions favored the chosen one. When are the republican candidates going to get some gumption and demand better in the debates?

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soybomb315_II
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 8:46pm
Why doesnt Romney accept “responsibility” for the response? LOL

hypocrites

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- Gary_K
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 8:51pm
  Um, maybe because he was right.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:03pm
  Hi Soybom315,
  
  I listened to that Obama speech (looked it up) and Romney was correct. Obama was referring to something else and not the actual Benghazi attack.
  
  Even Candy Crowley walked it back today on CNN.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:04pm
  O yeah Soybom315…..
  
  Did you get to see Johnson on GBTV?
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:20pm
  Hey monk
  i dont have GBtv subscription. Do they provide clips or transcripts? How was it?
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315_II
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:21pm
  well now i see an article with gary johnson on wilcow….Didnt they talk about more than just gay marriage?
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:30pm
  Hi Soybom315,
  
  I left you a reply at one of your posts earlier today that it was taking place tonight in case you had the ability to watch it.
  
  It was pretty good. What they did was give GJ a podium to stand at, asked some of the debate question, played Obama and Romeny’s responses and let GJ give his answers. GJ was really enjoying it!
  
  Report this comment
Exrepublisheep
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 8:44pm
And Michelle clapped too!

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- DagneyT
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:13pm
  She was applauding Crowley, not her husband….IMHO.
  
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- anothercomment
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:29pm
  @exrepublisheep
  Oh, now I get it! She was the idiot clapping in the background!!
  
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