Reporter James Rosen on Thursday questioned White House Press Secretary Jay Carney on the current congressional investigation into the Benghazi terror attack, focusing on findings that indicate U.S. military posturing around the world was "poor" on the 11th anniversary of 9/11.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 16: White House Press Secretary Jay Carney speaks during his daily briefing at the White House, October 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Senate announced that it had reached a bipartisan deal on funding the federal government and the extending the nation's debt limit after 16 days of a government shutdown. Credit: Getty Images
Carney dismissed the findings as a partisan attack on behalf of Republicans, who he says have been politicizing the attack since it occurred.
"The 'poor' statement is a statement of an assessment made by Republicans, who have, as you know, attempted unfortunately to make this a partisan issue," Carney said. "I know we're creating an exchange here for Fox, and I'm mindful of that. But allow me to suggest that questions about the posturing of defense forces are usually better addressed at the Pentagon."
"First of all, what we are engaged in here is not for Fox, it's for the record," Rosen shot back. Someone can be heard giggling after Rosen's comment, though it is unclear who.
Rosen went on to argue that the fact that military posturing was poor on the night of the Benghazi attack is not just a Republican conclusion.
"With respect to these meetings that the president had with key national security principals the day before those attacks, how is it possible that you can maintain that adequate steps were taken visa vi force posture by the commander-in-chief and his aides when, in fact, posture is now universally acknowledged to have been such that it made remedy or rescue impossible," the reporter pressed.
Carney admitted that there was not "adequate security" on the night of Benghazi to protect the four Americans who died in the attack. "The president has been absolutely clear and forthright about that," he added.
After another minute, Carney ended the nearly 10-minute exchange, saying: "I think we’re done here, James."
Watch the exchange below via Mediaite:
–
[related]
