Obama Aide: 'Libya Is an Issue Because of Romney and Ryan'

Stephanie Cutter isn't resigning, though conservative pundits are saying she ought to

Obama's deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter is known for her forthright style, but she overshot the mark today when she claimed on CNN that the Benghazi attack had become a big issue because Romney and Ryan had politicized it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iNjoywP5NY

"The entire reason that this has become the political topic it is is because of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan - it's a big part of their stump speech, and it's reckless and irresponsible," she said.

Cutter has been raked over the coals by most of the mediaverse for her comments, and some have called on her to resign. But far from retracting, she has "doubled down" (as they say in news-speak) by sending a tweet to BuzzFeed reporter Andrew Kackzynski, which was followed up by an email from the Obama campaign:

From the time of the attack in Libya, Mitt Romney has stopped at nothing to politicize these events. While Mitt Romney, Congressman Ryan, and their Republican allies in Congress have turned a national tragedy into a political circus, the President has been focused on getting the facts, finding the terrorists responsible, and bringing them to justice. Our nation's security and how we handle the transitions in the Middle East and North Africa are critical issues in this campaign, and just 26 days before an election, the American people deserve real ideas and specifics from Mitt Romney.

Via the Washington Free Beacon and Buzzfeed.

Should Cutter apologize for her comments, or does she have it right?

[tomincali]

another get caught and blame others ,these folks are getting very good at pointing the other way.

[CanisCanemEdit]

Bushs Fault!

[Jack-Black]

ummm no. it is an issue because people died and it appears as time goes it could have been prevented and Obama failed to do so.

[tomincali]

i heard their security was pulled right beforehand and other watched it on security monitors and knew it was not a mob.

[not_kidding]

@tomincali

No, he didn't fail.

Whoever is giving you your information, failed.

[OpEn_MiNdEd]

How is it his fault?? Did he tell the terrorists where exactly to detonate the bomb to have the best chance of killing people?? Didn't think so...

[tomincali]

@OpEn_MiNdEd
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/09/liby... here is a starting point. more security that was asked for could have helped.

[Bambi]

@tomincali
Colonel Wood, a memeber of the State Dpt. said he knew it was just a matter of time before something happened such as the Benghazi attack. He said there's been no real security in that area in years.
Yet the ambassador in France has a Marine detachment for protection! How much sense does that make?
Typical of this inept administration.
Then ol' Joe says they didn't know more security had been asked for. Yeah, I believe that......NOT!
Lies, more lies, and damn lies.

[Zoe2012]

Good grief, here we go again, I lied but it is your fault! People died but it is your fault.

[MEMA_ELLIJAY]

the state dept. watched the attack happen and knew that it was a terror attack, but the white house refused to believe the facts, and made up a story so the president could hide and this not be about his failed policies.

[tomincali]

thats what really bugs me about all the lying these folks do,people got killed and they are more worried about how they can cover their rears than getting to the bottom of things.

i for one would like to know who pulled their protection if indeed it was pulled.

[joyshusband]

She is a horrible liar.

[GetAwake]

Of course she shouldn't have to apologize. Anyone who thinks that she should have to is likely a chauvinist, racist, conspiracy-theorist, dissident, or all of the above.

[ZappaCrappa]

Wow! Would love to hear how you reached THAT conclusion. Good grief.

[GetAwake]

@joyshusband @ZappaCrappa I came to that conclusion by listening to the mainstream-media. Sarcasm much folks?

[joyshusband]

@GetAwake My apologies, where's the delete button? Lol

[GetAwake]

@joyshusband An extreme-far-left-post a day keeps the admins away...

[Bobolinsky]

I seem to remember the Obama campaign and their propaganda wing known as the mainstream media politicizing Benghazi within 24 of the attack. I seem to remember the mantra going around that Romney "shoots first then aims later." I seem to remember that without the help of a national security team and intelligence resources at his disposal, the position of Governor Romney was much closer to the truth than the lies that the Obama Administration was telling.

On a side note, I look for Stephanie Cutter to be offered her own show on MSNBC the next time a slot opens up.

[not_kidding]

LMAO!!!

Who owns Fox again??????

[Bobolinsky]

@not_kidding-- What does Fox have to do with MSNBC being a far-left propaganda machine?

[not_kidding]

@Bobolinsky

Only that FOX is a right wing propaganda machine, with FAR more resources than MSNBC.

Only that. Duh.

[Bobolinsky]

@not_kidding-- While I disagree with the characterization of FOX, that still doesn't change the fact that Stephanie Cutter would be a perfect fit for MSNBC more than the other lefty TV news outlets like NBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN as well Fox. It's just that MSNBC is the only one who has completely abandoned any sense of credibility.

Let me put it this way... Both Stephanie Cutter and MSNBC are in a league with others like Paul Krugman, Media Matters, and Mary Noble... People and organizations who are committed to deceiving and confusing their audience and and have no shame about telling bald-faed lies if they don't have cherry-picked facts to take out of context.

[not_kidding]

@Bobolinsky

You disagree that FOX supports right wing agendas??

Have you watched FOX??

[ZappaCrappa]

Further proof that both parties are full to the brim with apologists, denialists, and unwillingness to accept responsibility for anything. So disgusted with the garbage we are left to choose from by this corrupt, hang on to power at any cost even to the detriment of the country, 2 party system! Especially when the 2 parties candidates manage to both suck and blow simultaneously.

[mimi57]

Really? So they've gone from blaming Bush to blaming Romney...I guess the
Dem "blame game" just never stops...I think Americans are getting tired of it.

[stepped_in_it]

Mimi, I wish American's were tired of it. My fear is that American's have an attention span of a 3 yr old and will STILL vote for Obama! He has failed in ALL his policies all the while blaming everything but the sun & the moon (that'll be next). Not saying Romney is a saint, but, would rather try the unknown "new" than stay with the "known" old.
Have a good day

[ACTSmom]

And apology is not enough...she should woman up and say she was dead wrong and that it was the Obama adminisration who was trying to mislead America from midnight 9/11/12. It's an issue because of AMERICANS demanding the truth. This administration does not know how to tell the truth.

[Just_Lisa]

But...but....but, so many stand to loose their job...and ... And, have to stand in that L O N G unemployment line.

[KRKelly]

Why am I reminded of the Jimmy Carter presidency? Did we have problems like this when we took the attitude of "Speak softly and carry a big stick?" Or were we, as a nation, respected?

[Dropnbombs]

Not all communist are democrats but all democrats are communist.

[Franciscomv]

Yes but shes a joke anyway lol

[Penn1699]

Lybia is an issue because they lied!
Even Lybia stated it was terrorism.
Not because Rimney/Ryan, because America wants the truth !

[ibcingu]

She had it 100% right. (Just because the Romney-Ryan camp always lies about things, they seem to think the other side does too.)

[ibcingu]

@wangotango ---It's untilligent posts like yours that don't help to make the case for the GOP ticket. If you want to support them, why can't you say things about their policies & why they'd be a better choice, instead of attacking the current president with childish BS.

[wangotango]

@ibcingu If i did take your advice would there be any way i could persuade you to switch your support to the Romney/Ryan ticket.....Im assuming not....so why not have a bit of amusement

[Lpguy]

@ibcingu your unintelligent posts, that are almost always blame and news media tag lines do nothing to support our failed ruling party either. so why suggest to someone else to offer quality commentary on policies when you dont yourself. Just saying romney lies, and implying obama doesnt is not an arguement. Our man child presidents administration is clearly lying about libya. They keep changing the blame, from protest, to video, to terrorists, to whatever. Its because people like like romney and even other democrats are pushing for facts. Now I dont think romney cares, as long as it hurts obama. But I and many others care because we want americans safe, and home, out of all these foreign countries, not always pressing for war. But I digress, and this is not an appeal to the GOP, this is an appeal to rational thought, biased towards liberty

[seedtick]

This little gal got it right...if there was no election coming up the issue would have been swept under the rug quickly without too many questions being publically asked. But, the dishonest way our president and his administration handled this will be an issue for a long time now. The more we find out, the more repugnant their actions before and after this tragedy becomes.

[Just_Lisa]

Exactly!

[AceLuby]

The first comments about this were from ROMNEY, not the administration, and they demanded that the administration do something about it w/ less than all the facts. Talk about repugnant.

[seedtick]

@AceLuby Where were you for the last month? Romney said nothing about Libya on the night of the attack there. He replied to the statement put out by the Cairo embassy people who actually apologized for someone putting a video on U-Tube.. which seems to be the current foreign policy used in Arab countries. The attack on Lybia had not even occured when Romney spoke. The repugnant thing is the ongoing BS being put out by Barack Husssein Obama and crew.

[Thunderchicken]

I'm just thankful that the media is covering this better than they have covered Fast and Furious.

[Just_Lisa]

Good point, I'm surprised obama didn't slap an executive privlege on this one. He must have been sleeping at the wheel or his teleprompter was out of order again.

[Thunderchicken]

@Just_Lisa

Yeah I was wondering about that too. I was expecting some sort of national security media blackout.

[bsking]

Inouye shoes partly right. if Mitt Romney did not come out when he did immediately and denounce the terrorist attack. much of the country would have accepted Obama's lies and the media would have regurgitated tho.se lies willingly. Stephanie Cutter should be just about ready to shed her skin again. thank God soon we'll have a president who is proud to protect this country.

[idlbeokay_bob]

No, because its true!

[stepped_in_it]

What a true leader our MR, President is. I have "lead" (managed) many people over my life time. If one had failed as much as this twit had, the door would have hit her where god had split her....quickly. Let's see, we have "Fast & Furious"....and now this TWIT....any more failures in YOUR group, MR. PRESIDENT?(or better yet, any successes?)