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Subscribe to RSSSen. John McCain, R- Ariz., Thursday continued to raise questions about the Obama administration’s handling of the aftermath of the September attacks in Benghazi, Libya. In an interview on Today McCain said “it is either a cover-up or it is incompetence” for President Barack Obama to have continued to say as late as Sept. 25 that the attack on the U.S. consulate was a reaction to an inflammatory anti-Islamic video.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) discusses the Obama administration's handling of the aftermath of the Benghazi attack, accusing the president of "either a cover-up or incompetence." McCain also vowed to block any nomination of UN Ambassador Susan Rice for secretary of state to replace Hillary Clinton.
McCain told NBC’s Matt Lauer the most vital question that former CIA director David Petraeus must answer when he testifies Friday before both the House and Senate Intelligence committees is “why we were not prepared for this attack, where there was ample evidence, because of previous attacks and overwhelming intelligence information, that attacks were very likely on our consulate. There had been two (attacks) previously in April and June. On Aug. 15 they sent back a message that in the case a concerted attack they could not defend the consulate.”
McCain on Wednesday introduced a resolution to create a special eight-member select Senate committee to examine the attack on the consulate in which Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans, Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, and Sean Smith, were killed.
But McCain’s proposal got a mostly chilly reception Wednesday from his several of his fellow senators NBC News spoke with, even from some Republicans who have been his allies in the past.
Lawmakers were shown real-time film of the assault on Benghazi, where Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
A State Department Accountability Review Board (ARB) is investigating the attack. That panel includes former Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Pickering and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, now retired from the military.
But McCain argued that the Obama administration had no credibility to carry out an investigation of its own actions or inaction.
Joining McCain in calling for the special committee was Sen. Lindsey Graham, R- S.C., who said “a segmented, stovepiped investigation – where you have three different (Senate) committees going off in three directions and not comparing notes…is going to lead to failure.”
The bipartisan opposition to McCain's idea was rooted in the prerogatives of Senate committees that are already conducting their own investigations of the attacks. Senators serving on those committees defended their ability to conduct a thorough inquiry and seemed to see McCain’s efforts as potentially encroaching on their turf.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R- Ga., senior Republican on the Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday, "I told him (McCain) today that I'd just seen his resolution and I'm not sure whether it's not just a duplication of what we're doing."
Chambliss’s committee will hear testimony from acting CIA director Michael Morell and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper about the attack in a closed session Thursday.
Another Republican on the Intelligence Committee, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina said, "Listen, I think it's way too early to be calling for a special committee. I think you've got to allow the structure we have of oversight to function. And I think that the Intelligence Committee is more than capable of handling this."
Another opponent to McCain was the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who said of McCain’s proposal, "I really don't view it as being necessary. The Intelligence and the Homeland Security Committees are already investigating.”
Her committee got a briefing from CIA, FBI and State Department officials Wednesday. Collins pointed out that “Sen. McCain is a valued member of the Homeland Security Committee and can play an important role in help us uncover the facts."
Another Republican, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, who serves alongside McCain on the Armed Services Committee, reacted to McCain’s proposal by saying, "I'm listening. There's merit in the suggestion, but I'm not wedded to that."
A Democrat in the Intelligence Committee, Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, flatly rejected McCain’s proposal: "We have all the relevant committees, including the one that I sit on which is Intel. We're having a hearing on that tomorrow and he (McCain) sits on the Intel Committee as ex officio (as the senior Republican member of the Armed Services Committee)."
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, who has been mentioned as possible replacement for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, opposed McCain’s idea Wednesday.
“What we ought to do is first let the ARB make its determinations,” Kerry told reporters. “I think everybody ought to just step back. There’s a serious process in place and Secretary Clinton has put it in place.”
He added, “I have confidence in Tom Pickering and Admiral Mullen to put facts together.”
One senator who did voice support for McCain’s idea of a special select committee was Sen. Jim Inhofe, R- Okla., who serves on the Armed Services Committee and is slated to be its ranking member in the new Congress.
Inhofe said the lack of protection at the consulate, despite Stevens’s requests for more security, was “inexcusable” and “it’s got to be investigated.” Stevens was killed in the attack. Inhofe said, “I knew Chris Stevens. He was a friend. He was in my office right before he went over there.”
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In 2008 he suspended his election campaign to handle the the fiscal crisis his party created...got there there but offered no plan...recently had melt down because he was ask why he was not at Benghazi white house briefing...said he was a senator and did not have to answer to american public of his motives...hum. sounds like is pissed he lost in 2008? is he having a hard time multi-tasking ? later he said his staff screw up his schedule...guess he made a made a mistake, or is he incompetent or is he covering up something.. if so what? think it time for the old guy try to retire...can not believe that Arizona does not have someone who is ready and more stable than this overrated senator.
I have lost all respect for McCain now.
The adminstration can release whatever info it wants to the media, and they dont need to explain it. And that isnt a cover up, or incompetence. Its called national security, and keeping information secret for strategic reasons. There is no wrong-doing being covered up.
You've got to be kidding me, Mr. Mccain.
I thought you believe in smaller government. The "stove piping" of multiple committees serving the same purpose would be an expansion of growing Government becoming bigger and more costly instead of smaller and less costly. There has already been a commission appointed to investigate Benghazi without your name for appointment. So, sorry.......
Then, again, you believe Citizens vs. United should allow Coporations power for unlimited donations to political committees because they're people too. Yet, you don't believe in taxing Coporations like they're people too...
It (Health Care) was their (GOP) Waterloo..........
Send the old War Geezer back to the home where he belongs. He complains the Obama's choicer is not going to be approved as she is not fit. Well if anyone knows that a person is not fit it would be him because he picked a pesron for his running mate who wa absolutely not fit for anything down here in the lower 48-Sarah McCain-Palin. I hope this geezer and the turtle from Kentucky-MitchtheBitch McConnell decide the not run for reelection in 2 years.
McCain should be moved to elderly care center. He has become just an old angry man. He can't get over the election that Obama beat him. It is a constant sour grapes with McCain and only creates more gridlock in the Senate.
...what is there to hide?
McCain is a very bitter old man. He really needs to move on. McCain is a war monger, he has never seen a war that he did not like. McCain is bitter over his own ignorance choosing Palin for a running mate. McCain actually had a chance until he picked that nut. McCain is bitter over Obama beating Romney to a pulp, and therefore McCain will not get his two new wars. McCain is a has been, and he knows it. Go away McCain, the United States will be better off when you go.
From war hero to defeated presidential candidate to bitter old man. And so it goes.
McCain has been in politics for 30 years now and what has he really done? To me, he and other career politicians like him in both parties are a big part of the problem. That plus he brought us Sarah Palin so he needs to retire pronto. He hasn't even been taken seriously since. Why they keep voting for him in AZ is baffling.
John McCain and his bitch Lindsey Graham are making fools of them self's every time they open their mouths.
Why do the Sunday talk shows have these windbags on they offer nothing . When I saw Ann Coulter on one of Sundays shows I though these shows are losing credibility and will self destruct sooner than latter.
Please some one get out the butterfly nets and take him away today.
MCCAIN needs to go and get a reservation at the funny farm. He is wearing his respect from the population out real fast.
Interesting,a respected war hero and pow and the left is doing its normal disrespectful rhetoric,maybe he doesn't trust all the people investigating,after all it sounds like Mz Clinton has a process for this....I don't think I trust her either,or the process she put in place,look how we'll she has done so far...running off on VayCay,unavailable indeed.
" There's a serious process in place and Secretary Clinton has put it in place."
As they were told,,,,,,Look in the mirror for who was responsible
Republicans are doing everything they can to shut McCain up (again)
without screaming the fact that they voted "en mass" to slash funds
requested by Obama for Embassy security. McCain is going to throw
himself (and others) under a bus if he keeps heading in this direction.
Is it just me, or is McCain just being belligerent? He has had a bee in his bonnet since his loss to Obama in 2008. His mouth is bigger than his brain, that's the problem.
Seems the types of mistakes can be grouped into just a few categories: 1. Should the State Dept. have improved security of ambassadors and their staffs before the attack and how should security have been improved? Were there any disagreements between administrators that controlled those decisions and staff such as military or security advisors? 2. Should the orders have been given, if there was time for a rescue, to try and save them using our troops/security? If it was possible then explain why not tried. 3. Were there State Dept staff involved in a coverup of any of the facts involved with this attack, did they give misleading or inaccurate statements for any reason such as to cover up any inappropriate actions, and can these be explained to Congress and the public assuming that explanation is cleared by security agencies for release?
Something that is not discussed much at least from what I have seen are actions and judgement by the ambassador's offices that could have minimized the probability of this attack occurring - I would think Ambassadors especially in the more dangerous areas of world use their own and personal staff's judgement on the security of certain traveling they do to consulate offices in smaller cities away from their embassy, and if there were prior warnings or signs of travel being very dangerous on this date it seems there would have been cause to delay these trips or increase security on them. Have ambassadors called off or postponed trips in situations like these if they had enough warning or just were suspicious enough about the situation for their safety?
John McCain should resign his senate seat he is a disgrace to the senate and America !
McCain and Graham are simply goons trying desperately to stir the pot and create a stink, this is a Republican Cartel tradition, they have nothing of value to offer.
The Republican Cartel has been rejected by the MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE, as in of, by and for the people!
It seems that most of the posts are about 99% against John McCain and question his qualification to serve in the senate any longer ! These post also question senator Lindsay Graham qualifications as well ! These are all signs of a republican party lost in the wilderness with no real ideals and only able to cry wolf time after time to distract the American people from real issues that matter to the country ! The American people have seen though this behavior of the republican party and have rejected it ! Its is time to move on from Benghazi and to the issues that really matter to the country !
Senator McCain, the man who called his wife the 'C' word. What do expect?
Oh shut up McCain, you're just doing that for yourself.