Posted on 05/08/2013 3:15:48 PM PDT by Mozilla
As new facts are uncovered about the attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya last September, it’s become increasingly clear that many in the mainstream media really did cover up the severity of the attack during their initial reports, choosing instead to paint it as a overreaction by Washington Republicans.
Here are examples of the cover-up:
1) National Journal’s Michael Hirsh:
Benghazi: The Real Libya Story Is No Story
“No evidence has surfaced to indicate the administration is guilty of anything other than looking flat-footed”
“It sounds very plausible. There’s only one problem with that view: No evidence has surfaced so far to support the idea that the Obama administration deceived the public deliberately.”
2) The New York Times‘ Nicholas Kristof: Nicholas Kristof ✔ @NickKristof
I'm sick of Republican intransigence over @AmbassadorRice. Her misstatements were small potatoes. Time to move on.
3) Salon’s Joan Walsh:
Benghazi madness
“The latest right-wing conspiracy porn features a return of 2008 Obama-Clinton tensions played out over Libya”
“But the latest right-wing allegations about Benghazi have reached the realm of lurid conservative conspiracy porn. Far-right websites are ablaze with stories of Obama administration perfidy, incompetence and infighting, overlaid with tensions between President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that supposedly go back to the 2008 Democratic primary. ”
4) The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Jay Bookman:
The Fox-induced hysteria over Benghazi collapses
“In conclusion, last week’s entire controversy was spectacularly, embarrassingly wrong-headed. No facts exist to justify the overheated rhetoric and allegations directed at Obama and top officials in his administration, but no apologies will follow either. Quite the contrary, I’m sure.”
5) Mother Jones’ Kevin Drum:
Keeping Up With the Latest Benghazi Conspiracy Theories
“And why are we only hearing about this now? Because everyone who knew about it was afraid to come forward, natch. You know how ruthless Obama can be. Today, though, Billy Birdzell, a former special ops team leader, pretty much torched the whole conspiracy theory.”
6) The Washington Post’s Jonathan Bernstein:
The real Benghazi story: The dogs that aren’t barking
“If you’re not inside the conservative information feedback loop, you might not be aware that within that loop the Benghazi “scandal” is still going at 100 percent strength. Months after the actual incident, which was back in September. Even though no one has ever made clear exactly what terrible secret was the subject of the supposed cover-up; even though a succession of “revelations” have all turned out to be nonsense”
7) Talking Points Memo‘s Josh Marshall: Josh Marshall ✔ @joshtpm
RWs certain Benghazi is massive scandal, just can't seem to decide why. Deep breath & repeat: the election is over. #desperate
8) The Atlantic Wire’s Elspeth Reeve:
The GOP-Fox News Benghazi Feedback Loop
“The problem is that while Congressional Republicans are sure that there’s something scandalous about Benghazi, they’ve had little luck convincing anyone other than Fox News and its viewers. But to keep the momentum going — nothing sinks an agenda-driven story more effectively than when nothing new happening — they have created a feedback loop, in which Fox reports something, the Republican-controlled House holds hearings on it, and then Fox reports on those hearings.”
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