When two House Republicans were asked about the Benghazi Select Committee, they melted down and threw up the white flag of defeat by blaming President Obama for their own Benghazi investigation.
Video:
LABRADOR: Let’s be clear what he said. He said the investigation turned political, according to his opinion.
And when he was asked specifically if the investigation was political, he said no. He said, in fact, that the investigation started properly, that they were investigating what happened in Benghazi, and that he felt that it had changed. So, let’s not mix this up, because…
BASH: But, regardless, he’s saying that the reason why he was upset is because it turned political.
LABRADOR: Yes, but…
BASH: No matter, no matter where it started.
LABRADOR: But he just had a disagreement with the people who are doing the investigation.
Remember what Watergate — Watergate started with an investigation about whether the Richard Nixon administration actually had anything to do with the break-in at Watergate. It ended up being about some missing tapes.
BASH: So, you think it’s OK to have turned…
(CROSSTALK) LABRADOR: No, I don’t — I don’t think it…
(CROSSTALK)
BASH: … Hillary Clinton?
LABRADOR: Well, that’s what they found out.
They been asking questions about what Hillary Clinton did. They asked her for her e-mails. She wouldn’t deliver the e-mails. And they didn’t know why they deliver the e-mails. They didn’t know if there was a smoking gun in there or anything. So, they turned their attention to that.
And, in fact, the only reason there’s any politics or we even have an investigation is because the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton decided a few months before an election that they were going to lie about what happened at Benghazi.
Let’s — let’s be clear about that. If they hadn’t told different stories about what happened in Benghazi, we wouldn’t — we wouldn’t even have an investigation.
BASH: Congressman Cole, let me just read what the Clinton campaign said in response to this.
A spokesman said: “These are explosive allegations. This Republican whistle-blower’s account from inside the Benghazi Committee may provide the most definitive proof to date that this taxpayer-funded investigation has been a partisan sham from the start.”
You know what? Regardless, it gives them some ammunition.
REP. TOM COLE (R), OKLAHOMA: It does.
But it’s worth noting that, until the last couple of weeks, most of the attacks on this committee have come from the right, because it was seen as being too judicious and not being partisan.
Frankly, I — this is one where you have to look at the committee chairman and look at what he’s done and make a judgment. Trey Gowdy is a person of absolute personal integrity. The fact that he’s not here, and Raul and I are, is a pretty good indication he’s not trying to exploit this for — to advance himself in any way.
This interview was nothing short of a disaster. The two House Republicans could not defend the existence of the Benghazi Special Committee. Rep. Labrador compared Benghazi to Watergate, even though the tapes were directly related to the Watergate break-in, whereas Clinton’s use of a private email server had nothing to do with Benghazi.
Rep. Tom Cole admitted that Hillary Clinton now has been gifted political ammo to use against the committee, but that shouldn’t matter because Select Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy is a good guy who would never abuse his power to advance a political agenda.
At the end of the day, according to these two House Republicans, the Benghazi investigation is President Obama’s fault. When House Republican break out the blame Obama excuse, it means that they have lost. The blame Obama excuse is used when they have nothing else. Blaming President Obama is the House Republican last ditch Hail Mary that never works.
Republicans have been caught, and blaming Obama is a sure sign of GOP defeat.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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