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Angry Clinton Explodes at Questioning on Libya Protest: ‘We Have Four Dead Americans…What Difference at This Point Does It Make?’

Jan. 23, 2013 10:48am Madeleine Morgenstern

Angry Clinton Explodes at Questioning on Libya Protest: What Difference at This Point Does It Make?

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton erupted at Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) during his questioning Wednesday over whether there were protests in Benghazi, Libya before the deadly assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission.

Johnson was insisting that the American people were “misled” about protests that supposedly occurred over an anti-Islam video, similar to those that had taken place at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo hours earlier on Sept. 11, 2012. It was later determined there had been no protests in Benghazi and the assault was labeled a terrorist attack.

“Do you disagree with me that a simple phone call to those evacuees to determine what happened would have ascertained immediately that there was no protest?” Johnson asked Clinton during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. “That was a piece of information that could have been easily, easily obtained, within hours if not days.”

“Senator, when you’re in these positions, the last thing you want to do is interfere with any other process going on — ” Clinton started to answer.

” — I realize that’s a good excuse,” Johnson cut in.

“Well, no, it’s the fact,” Clinton said sharply, adding that there are questions being raised “even today” about what precisely happened in Benghazi.

She continued, “Now, we have no doubt they were terrorists, they were militants, they attacked us, they killed our people. But what was going on and why they were doing what they were doing, is still — ”

“No, no, no, again, again — we were misled that there were supposedly protests and then something sprang out of that, an assault sprang out of that and that was easily ascertained that that was not the fact and the American people could have known that within days,” Johnson said. “And they didn’t know that.”

“With all respect, the fact is we have four dead Americans was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided they’d go kill some Americans,” Clinton shouted. “What difference at this point does it make? It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again, senator.”

“What difference at this point does it make?!” whether there was a protest. Clinton yells at Ron Johnson. Damn.

— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) January 23, 2013

#SecClinton yells at Sen Ron Johnson on whether there were protests b/f the #Benghazi attack “What difference at this point does it make?!”

— Dana Hughes (@dana_hughes) January 23, 2013

Hillary just erupted over talking points controversy, saying “what difference does it make?” and that issue is to prevent it happening again

— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) January 23, 2013

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Comments (759)

dadsrootbeer
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:41am
And this woman wrote her college thesis on “Rules for Radicals” by Saul Alynsky. I wonder what tactics she will use during her questioning and shown by this outburst. Misdirection, attacking the messenger and that great Clinton lying trait. Should be an interview that will be another Classic Clinton.

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- barber2
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:52am
  The MSM needs to “share” this information with the clueless robots who follow these Alinsky-Chicago radical Democrats – leading America into the Hell of their dysfunctional, Far Left policies . WHAT? The Obama Lap Dog Media won’t do that ?? Why ? Let me guess….
  
  Report this comment
B-Neil
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:41am
All I’ve gotten out of the hearing is The Secretary duck and dodged real responcibility although she claimed responcibility. She didn’t pass the buck she was very tactful in her efforts to avoid showing her inability to do the job. All the accolades to her greatness is all hollywood. The commity failed to ask the most important question. Becouse Obama and Clinton did not want to get there hands dirty who decided to require The UN ambasador to stand up and make a fool out of herself?? This hearing was no more then the campaign start of Clintons run for the Presidency. The scripts provided to the Democrats were well written and presented with insecurity. These commities are no more then a propaganda tool.

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jbcheesehead
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:40am
Hillary trained well on being a horse’s rear end in law school. Johnson trained well on how to get along with other people without intimidating them in business school. I prefer Johnson’s methods. Hillary simply uses anger to cover her gross errors. Her husband points his finger at people, which is the silent way of being a horse’s rear end. Liberals love to become large horse’s rear ends to cover up their idiocy. We shouldn’t let them intimidate and bully us–it’s not only unbecoming, it’s downright lying and immoral!

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WTSpike
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:40am
This is disgraceful! What difference does it make? What if Nixon had angrily said the same thing about Watergate? Would the whole thing then have blown over? It makes all the difference in the world, Madame Secretary. That’s what! Your getting angry and defensive in an effort to exert your power and evade the question that is at the very heart of this whole incident does not preclude you from having to answer to it all. This is a cover-up of the highest order, and the shameful way in which it’s being treated is just as disgraceful as your feigned indignance.

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Lloyd Drako
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:37am
Hillary’s angry outburst was well-directed and long overdue. It’s absolutely pointless at this late date to argue over whether Obama or Susan Rice misrepresented the Benghazi events for political reasons, or for other reasons, such as the need not to let the attackers know what we had on them, and the desire to damp down protests in places other than Libya, which were in fact against the infamous video. It’s not a crime to lie on Meet the Press. If it were, half Washington would be in jail.

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- The Big Mick
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:46am
  It’s called “ACCOUTABILITY” and “RESPONSIBILITY”, Malvoy.
  Something, along with Integrity you are as unfamiliar with as Ms.Ugliest SecState.
  
  Report this comment
- Lloyd Drako
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 1:49pm
  @The Big Mick: Wrong address, there’s no “Malvoy” here. And unless I’m mistaken, Clinton has accepted her share of responsibility for what happened and admitted that “mistakes were made.” I hate to invoke the name of GW Bush, but I don’t recall anyone after 9/11 being impeached, convicted and taken out and shot for not having spotted the significance of Muslim immigrants taking flying lessons without being much interested in how to land.
  
  Report this comment
- SandW
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 3:20pm
  True, the Meet The Press action per se is not a crime, but the larger action of what they knew and when they knew and what they did and said with that information is – under the definition of high crime and misdemeanors. They should all be impeached. Nixon resigned for far less and Hilllary knows full well what qualifies as an impeachable offense because she was on the team that authored the articles of impeachment for Nixon.
  
  Report this comment
- Lloyd Drako
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 3:55pm
  @SandW: Nonsense. Nixon covered up an actual crime, namely burglary. Obama, Clinton, et al. have done no such thing. The only way they could be impeached would be if you asked them to answer, under oath, “Was the misrepresentation of Benghazi done for political reasons?” and if the reply was “No,” and you then could get taped or other evidence to the contrary. Then you could get articles of impeachment for lying under oath–which, as I recall, was not sufficient for a conviction of Ms. Clinton’s husband in 1998. The honest answer, of course, would be “Yes, we did it for political reasons,” but then, where would that leave you? Still without any legal grounds for impeachment. You have my deepest regrets.
  
  Report this comment
raabhimself
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:36am
Has she made a Sandy Hook reference yet?

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CaliforniaScreaming
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:35am
Yeah, what difference does the truth make? Maybe that safe house was the home of the Rose Law firm billing records as well?

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maclogo
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:34am
Bottom line: Susan Rice lied for this administration to win an election where “Al Qaeda’s on the run” was their mantra !!!

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crusaderx9
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:33am
This is how a guilty person acts…

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AmericaMustBeFree
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:33am
I’d say someone has a very guilty conscience. Is this why Hillary has been sick, and supposedly had a blood clot in her brain! LOL I think she is having a hard time living with herself and she should! To sit and watch these four men die is unexcusable!

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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:32am
The entire regime makes Nixon look like a choir boy,the lot of them are vile pompous creatures who need lengthy prison terms. She’s been lying from day one and she’ll continue to lie.

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YOURSENSEI
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:31am
This is what you must know:

Benghazi is no longer. Conservatives will have to move on to their next fake outrage. Hey, how about Katy Perry’s 1940′s USO outfit? Wait, let’s go back and talk about Halliburton electrocuting and poisoning out own troops. Nah, Katy Perry . . . much better. Ah, conservatism, it sure was a whimpering death it had, wasn’t it?

It is so.

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- DZ-015
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 12:03pm
  Nonsensei: You ain’t seen nothing yet. Wadi-gate will fester until some answers are found, despite the fake outrage of the outgoing SOS. That’s what’s so.
  
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- AVATARBABY
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 12:58pm
  This you must remember:
  
  The Dominant Liberal Establishment Mainstream Media devoted much more time to Bush’s allegededly being AWOL during his time in service (buh-bye Dan Rather) than investigating the Benghazi debacle.
  
  It is inarguably so.
  
  Report this comment
bloggenfels
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:31am
The difference it makes — as if she didn’t know — is this:

If the killings were the result of a spontaneous protest over an intolerant video produced in America, then America’s ‘climate of hate’ would be viewed as the cause. No administration official would be held responsible.

But if they were shown to have been caused by a coordinated terrorist attack, then we should have been prepared to defend ourselves. We know there is terrorism out there and that it targets Americans and American interests in these volatile Islamic countries. Questions would be asked and the administration would be held accountable.

Anyone who can ask that question with a straight face doesn’t deserve to have that job. If Hillary wants to play dumb, we should take her at her word and fire her.

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nomsain
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:29am
Everyone is missing the point, me thinks. The coverup is really the fact that Obama and Hillery orchestrated the attack in Benghazi themselves, to silence the ambassador and keep his knowledge of the gun running from getting out.

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Rowgue
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:29am
You’re well aware it makes a difference you stooge. You didn’t just get ahead of yourself and report faulty information. You all immediately rushed out and invented a completely fictitious story that even your own intelligence agencies called nonsense from day one.

It’s quite clear that your first priority was to dampen any anti-islamist sentiment above all else. The four dead americans didn’t matter much at that point.

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doc411
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:28am
It makes a difference to find out whether she and her department covered up the truth. Duh!

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pap pap
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:28am
Words, Words, Words how about Answers, Answers, Answers. That will never happen she’s a lawyer. BTW Hillary the difference it makes is that we were lied to for weeks. Now we have Bozo protecting Obozo.

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- YOURSENSEI
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:45am
  Mr os Ms PAPPAP,
  
  This is what you must know:
  
  Lying to the American people for weeks is perfectly OK.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHXq8TRejow
  
  See?
  
  It is so.
  
  Report this comment
yoshik
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:28am
Give us the facts. Stop with the subterfuge. Put your hands behind your back, now get in your cell. You get one phone call and it cannot be in the 202 area code.

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Tri-ox
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:27am
Hillary Clinton needs to be perp-walked out of this hearing in cuffs and shackles. She must be arrested immediately – they must not let her escape!

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- SREGN
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:41am
  Next, she’s going to put on a dying swan act and collapse on the floor. Oh, poor Hilary. Those mean men made her pass out. They don’t care that she’s been sick. Soon to be a lifetime movie.
  
  Report this comment
denkat56
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:27am
Roll over on Obama, you know tell the truth, let the little tyrant king do his own answering. He wants to be king let him pay the price to play in the game.

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RoBoTech
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:26am
” “What difference at this point does it make?””
What difference?
Madam, you are INSANE!
The FACT that you are pulling that crocodile tear, don’t bully me because I am a woman (Clinton at at that) idiocy still doesn’t take away from the FACT that YOU, as SOS, are RESPINSIBLE for the death of 4 Americans and millions in assets.
But, typical Progressive and Clinton tactic, you won’t take responsibility for your incompetent actions.
This is Kubuki Theater and the only thing Hillary is concerned about, is her own ass. Nothing more. Typical Clinton.
Ladies, if you think she got bullied, wake up! SOS has standards and man or woman, they are expected to fulfill those standards.
If a woman can’t take the heat, then she should LEAVE and give it to someone who does has a sense of responsibility, ANY one that can.
Now I can understand Progressives trying to defend their 2016 POTUS choice, but, this is either incompetency, or it was DELIBERATE.
NO way is Hillary going to survive this. It is indefensible, at least to any one with common sense and decency.

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- RoBoTech
  Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:31am
  Hillary, you just wrote the attack ads for your run in 2012. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
  Either you are too emotional and can’t do the job correctly, or you are incompetent.
  And WHY do you think you can win on incompetence?
  Watch and see my Progressive friends, watch and see.
  
  Report this comment
hereandnow
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:24am
The point of questioning is not to determine how the ambassador and others were killed hillary roadham clinton, The question was “Why did you Lie”???

This woman is a piece of work, she can’t find the Rose Law Firm records, cries for sympathy, and talks down to anyone who questions her… such a great choice to hold office… Go Figure!

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FlagWavingPatriot
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:22am
Someone get Senator Paul some mouthwash. He just chewed on Billary’s butt for 5 minutes.

Billary says “I believe in transparency”? “I believe in taking responsibility”? Hmmm…someone got a link to all those “under advice from counsel, I respectfully assert my 5th Amendment rights” statements from her in the past? Or all those “I don’t recall” moments?

The word “responsibility” and “accountability” is not in the Clinton lexicon.

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moreteaplease
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:22am
Is anyone watching this on CSPAN-3 right now? She is the personification of an arrogant liberal. What a miserable old bat…with nerd glasses. I hope she fries on the griddle.

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ilovepotatoes
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:22am
Just own up to it and it will be over. This whole administration personifies the expression “take the credit, shift the blame”

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