White House: Obama Didn't Order 'Stand Down' in Benghazi

Rebuts allegations that Obama denied requests for help

Updated: On Saturday afternoon a White House spokesman emphatically denied that President Obama had denied requests for help during the Benghazi attack. "Neither the president nor anyone in the White House denied any requests for assistance in Benghazi," wrote National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor in an email to Yahoo News.

That rebuttal follows a TV interview on Friday in which Obama avoided responding to a question about whether CIA operatives were told to "stand down" during the Benghazi attack.

KYLE CLARK, KUSA-TV, Denver: Were they denied requests for help during the attack?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, we are finding out exactly what happened. I can tell you, as I've said over the last couple of months since this happened, the minute I found out what was happening, I gave three very clear directives. Number one, make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to. Number two, we're going to investigate exactly what happened so that it doesn't happen again. Number three, find out who did this so we can bring them to justice. And I guarantee you that everyone in the state department, our military, the CIA, you name it, had number one priority making sure that people were safe.

In a separate radio interview on Friday, Obama pushed back on Fox News allegations that he lied about the administration's response.

"I've always been straight with the American people," the president told Philadelphia radio host Michael Smerconish.

"What's true is that the intelligence was coming in and evolving as more information came up," Obama said, explaining why his administration's explanation had changed in the hours and days after the attack.

Via Fox News, ABC News, KUSA-TV, Denver, and Michael Smerconish.

Do you think Obama has more information than he's revealing here?

[tomincali]

yes, and i think all involved needs to be hooked up to a lie detector or something being without being forced the truth will be hidden by those who have something to hide.

[hertz_doughnut]

Lie detectors do not work on insane people.

[TheLoneRanger]

We are a leaderless nation.

Obama lied again. People died.

[TheLoneRanger]

How about some water boarding?

[idlbeokay_bob]

@TheLoneRanger you must be smoking the stuff from the other story.

[TheLoneRanger]

@idlbeokay_bob - I occasionally like to amuse myself and this is how I do it.

[Tralee]

Well, it all depends on if the MSM grow a pair and actually start reporting on it. The vast uninformed have no idea what's going on. Note that NBC has barely touched it and only between Fox News and Bret Baire and Jennifer Griffin and the conservative media like Washington Times and the internet, if you simply Google Benghazi Attack, do you stand a chance of getting any information. Amazingly, no mention is being made of the multiple times the security guards were told to "Stand Down" or in other words, do nothing to try to rescue the Ambassador. The three who went to help and gave their lives in the attempt did it anyhow, true hero's left high and dry by the US. Obama will not discuss it, and the MSM let's him get away with it. Imagine, if Woodward and Bernstein had helped Nixon with his cover up of that third rate break in instead of exposing it. This is even worse and the MSM is totally complicit in the continuing coverup. Don't the voting public have the right to know who they really are voting for? A man who will fly to a fund raiser, knowing that lives are in danger, people are missing and he flys off to a $40,000 a plate meal instead of staying in town, acting the Commander In Chief and trying to get those men out alive. How callow, how very Obama.

[Buckfan4life2]

Yes I think the POS should be in jail instead of out politicing

[Jack-Black]

Barry is a coward. People died because of his policies.

[marine1]

What can we expect from a butter head like him.

[TheLoneRanger]

@marine1 - I saw the Chia Pet Obama.

[MBernard]

So what does that make Bush? Remember 9/11???

[Jack-Black]

@MBernard Yawn. Cant defend the FACT that Barry is a coward and has policies that caused people to die. You bring up Bush.

[marine1]

@Jack-Black Can't deny the fact that you pull on a teet, you come up with a butterhead like the nuterbutter that they did.

[Antiecm]

What is this shit? He works for us, what does it mean he won't answer?? Like he won't disclose his records, or his birth certificate, of anything else a President does. Hell Yes he knows more than he is telling, and I wonder who he is telling it too.

[jeremyinjax]

What rock are u living under??? The president does not have to respond to ignorant wuestions just to find context that isnt even there..

[CATTLEPROD]

Of course he does. It will all come out after the election. The propaganda media will not be able to cover for him after he loses. We will find out lots of interesting facts about barry. The fact that he let those people be sacrificed because of his world view, he went to bed while they were dying, lied to us repeatedly afterward, lots of things. I cant wait for obamacare to be declared null and void. He couldn't legally sign that into law, you need to be an american citizen to do that. We'll find that out, too.

[Kptpredsfan]

STILL with the birther thing? Has it ever crossed your mind that there are some VERY powerful republicans in congress or republican nominated justices on the Supreme Court, they don't seem to be dragging up this birther crap AT ALL, and if anyone who would blow the whistle on this if it was true exsisted it would be one of those people.

[CATTLEPROD]

@Kptpredsfan His real name is barry sortoro. He was an indonesian exchange student before he became the manchurian candidate. Thats why he doesn't want his college records opened. We will see he was below average on grades, wasn't there half the time, and cruised through on affirmative action. But the real story will be his real name and where he came from.

[Kptpredsfan]

@CATTLEPROD so why don't your GOP buddies in congress out him. If this were true it would take a sitting US senator less than 24 hours to drop that bombshell, and they have had four years! Why would the party that opposes him let that happen. they could paint the dems as liars and cheats and win 45-46 states in the next election? or they could have run away with this election. It just doesn't make sense, and if anyone ever looked into barrys past it is the republican party. If you think EITHER side would sit on a political nuke like that you are crazy.

[CATTLEPROD]

@Kptpredsfan The propagandist media have been propping him up, not covering the story, and labeling everyone that beleives it a kook. I am also sure that with his chicago thuggery politics he has enough dirt on certain members of congress to shut them up as well. I personally dont know for sure, Ive just heard this story enough I think it has to have some teeth. But I do love watching obama supporters have a stroke when someone mentions the birther movement. It's probably because deep down they know it's true.

[Kptpredsfan]

@CATTLEPROD I love watching your side squirm when anyone blames W for anything ever,(OUR man can do no wrong, but YOUR guy he is just unamerican, and maybe a communist!!!!) but I am over that dead horse, just waiting for your sides tired old mare to die.

[Jim49418]

Obama is SO busy with his appearances on the tonight show, that he has no time to deal with these piddly things.
Obama doesnt give a flying fck if four Americans died due to his actions!
He just wants to make sure that you see him on the Tonight Show!

[Nwoinaz]

Yes...

[Thunderchicken]

As I've been saying, something's not right here. There's got to be more to it.

[marine1]

You have to have been saying that for at least the last 3 and a half years.

[hertz_doughnut]

If they only would have stood down then the ambassador would be alive as the whole idea was to allow the capture of the ambassador so the Prez could arrange an exchange for the blind sheik thus enabling a meeting with Iran. Of all the plans of mice and men Obama's are the most foolish.

[hertz_doughnut]

That idea will really get me on the list.

[cpier14]

Obumbble has been all over the map on this it is a shame his pride and desire for power resulted in the death of 4 American patriots. and the potus blamed an irrelevant video and went as far as having a man imprisoned for exercising his freedom under the United States Constitution. If he didnt know why? and if he did not know why did he blame it on a video for days? Either way he was bullshetting the public and has been exposed

[Polusalo]

Seems most of the Democrats have left Politix. It's just a place for a full on Republican circle-jerk now.

[hertz_doughnut]

Reminds me of a Weezer song. The workers are going home.....My Name is Jonas. A little google time comes up with http://www.youtube.com/watch...

[hertz_doughnut]

@hertz_doughnut Fresh out of batteries

[ir0nw0lfe]

I think people are just tired of bring lied to. As an aside, despite what MSM would have you believe, conservatives in both parties have always been the majority in the country.

[Polusalo]

@ir0nw0lfe
Eh, it's just in every article now. The comments are always filled with such Obama-hate and no one to defend him. The usual people have moved on after more and more Republicans swarmed into the site.

[Ebaker1951]

Why do democrates alway throw names at people who disagree with them? Polusalo, show some class and just leave without belittling yourself by calling names..

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

So the question is, why exactly did obama order the stand down? Hopefully a President Romney will get to the bottom of this and issue out charges if need be. Romney, I'm watching you. When you get to the White House, don't go liberal on us. Make sure you charge obama for every crime he committed!

[Antiecm]

I did not say that..... Sorry, the President always decides on attacks and wars and such. So now on top of everything else, he is also a liar. It gettin damned hard to be a Democrat these days. So I won't vote against Democrats so I just stay at home cause I an't votin for this shitt.

[Bill]

If you don't vote, then wee all lose because Obama will get back in if the people that backed him last time don't vote at all.

[commonsense51]

Obama is a political organizer. He is totally out of his element running our nation. Naive people swallowed all his rhetoric four years ago and if they vote for him again, then they deserve what they get. It's a shame they can hurt all the rest of America that knows better. Did any of you Obama supporters watch the documentary 2016? If not I would suggest you watch it before you vote for this guy again. Maybe you like supporting failure just so you can get some free Abortion pills or birth control, or food stamps. If that is what you base your choice of President (God help our nation).

[riker]

He's commander in chief. Either way the buck stops with him.

[Kptpredsfan]

Will we ever know exactly what happened between the people on the ground and the people in washington....I doubt it. Sounds like there was some serious operational confusion or fog of war. whatever you wanna call it and that costs lives sad to say. Did the White house make mistakes, yes they did, does it all fall in the presidents lap....we may never know.

[vigilant]

Well, if he didn't order 'stand-down', then apparently ALL of his subordinates disobeyed his order to come to the defense of the Americans under attack - unless he FAILED to give ANY order (as he watched the carnage unfold in his situation room). Either way, he should be charged with treason for aiding and abetting (and arming) the enemy.

[Vet]

Of coarse Obama, & his administration know a lot more than they are admitting to. This is just another perfect example of how the Main Stream Media, remains in the "Tank" with Obama.. If this had been a Republican President, the Main Stream Media would have broadcast practically nothing else..!!! Obama must be defeated..!!!!!

[wangotango]

Of course he does...there's alot more that will come out this coming week Im sure..