Sen. Rand Paul (KY-R) To Hillary Clinton at Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on Benghazi Terrorist Attack: ‘I Would Have Relieved You Of Your Post’ (VIDEO)

Yesterday during the  Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Benghazi, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) criticized Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. Paul was one of the few that held nothing back and held Hilary Clinton’s feet to the fire for the responsibility, culpability and accountability for the Benghazi terror attacks. During his statements to Clinton Rand Paul stated, “Had I been president and found you did not read the cables from Benghazi and from Ambassador Stevens, I would have relieved you of your post.”

 
From the HUFPO:

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticized Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Wednesday during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing over the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

“I’m glad that you’re accepting responsibility,” said Paul. “I think ultimately with your leaving that you accept the culpability for the worst tragedy since 9/11. And I really mean that.”

“Had I been president and found you did not read the cables from Benghazi and from Ambassador Stevens, I would have relieved you of your post. I think it’s inexcusable,” he said, referencing Clinton’s comments that she had not read all of the documentation surrounding the attack.

“I think we can understand you’re not reading every cable,” Paul said. He added that he didn’t suspect Clinton of “bad motives” but said that it was a “failure of leadership.”

Daily Commentary – Friday, January 4, 2013 – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has a Blood Clot in Her Head

• Possibly stemming from the concussion she got earlier in December. Doctors expect a full recovery.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Hospitalized with Blood Clot

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been hospitalized with a blood clot as a result of the concussion she received earlier this month. According to her spokesman,  Clinton’s doctors discovered the clot Sunday while performing a follow-up exam. Hillary Clinton was admitted to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Sunday night and will be  treated with anti-coagulants for at least the next 48 hours so doctors can monitor her condition.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was admitted to a New York hospital Sunday after the discovery of a blood clot stemming from the concussion she sustained earlier this month.

Clinton’s doctors discovered the clot Sunday while performing a follow-up exam, her spokesman, Philippe Reines, said. He would not elaborate on the location of the clot but said Clinton is being treated with anti-coagulants and would remain at New York-Presbyterian Hospital for at least the next 48 hours so doctors can monitor the medication.

“Her doctors will continue to assess her condition, including other issues associated with her concussion,” Reines said in a statement. “They will determine if any further action is required.”

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) to be Obama’s Nominee for Next Secretary of State … Other Replacements: Sen. Hagel (NE) Secretary of Defense.

Reporting for Secretary of State duty …

ABC News is reporting that Senator John Kerry (D-MA) will be nominated by President Barack Obama for the position of Secretary of State replacing the out going Hillary Clinton. Kerry became the obvious second choice for Obama once his first choice UN Ambassador Susan Rice withdrew her name because of the Benghazi-gate fiasco and her participation in misleading the American people on five Sunday talk shows when she stated that the attacks were a result of a video tape, rather than terrorism. The nomination should take place some time next week.

Sources tell ABC News that President Obama has decided that he will nominate Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to be secretary of state.

For a variety of reasons including the finalization of the process, other pending Cabinet decisions, and — more immediately — the national reaction to the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the news will not be announced in the next few days.

What a joke this is going to be. How bad is it when John Kerry is the lesser of two evils? As stated at Weasel Zippers, “I don’t think he could have picked a man with a worse track record on foreign policy.” More concern for Kerry’s nomination for the position at Powerline, who questions “Kerry’s opinions in American foreign policy is long and deep, distinguished by its devotion to mischief, error and misjudgment.” Agreed. Although, if Kerry did not get this position, would he have been in line for and reporting for duty as Secretary of Defense? No matter how you look at it, its just a terrible choice for America and a reminder that elections have consequences.

It is also being reported that former GOP Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska will be nominated for Secretary of Defense.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Faints & Suffers Concussion … Conveniently She Will Not Testify Next Week in Benghazi Hearings

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suffered a concussion after fainting due to dehydration from a stomach virus, according to the AP. The 65 year old Secretary of State had earlier skipped an overseas trip due to her illness. She is reported to going to be working from home as per doctors orders next week and not in DC.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who skipped an overseas trip this past week because of a stomach virus, sustained a concussion after fainting, the State Department said Saturday.

The 65-year-old Clinton, who’s expected to leave her job soon, was recovering at home after the incident last week and is being monitored by doctors, according to a statement by aide Philippe Reines.

Conveniently enough, due to these events Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won’t testify to Congress next week on Benghazi. Surprise, surprise, surprise. Is the Obama Administration 4-corners stall fix in on Benghazi? Earlier this week, UN Ambassador Susan Rice withdrew her name from consideration to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. Many feel that she was pressured to once again to fall on her sword to not embarrass Barack Obama on the Benghazi debacle and the obvious poor handling in Benghazi, Libya before, during and after the terror attacks that left four Americans dead. Hillary Clinton’s testimony may not have been a smoking gun, but any more details from the Obama Administration regarding Benghazi is better than nothing.

Ann Althouse is also skeptical of Hillary weaseling out of the Benghazi hearings. Although, this may come back to bite Hillary if she runs in 2016 as she would obvious get a failing grade when the 3 AM call came in.

Even Hillary Clinton is No Fan of Susan Rice, She Prefers Sen. John Kerry (MA-D) to be Secretary of State

It’s no surprise that Republican Senators Ayotte (NH), Graham (SC), McCain (AZ) and Collins (ME) are not fans of UN Ambassador Susan Rice becoming the next US Secretary of State. All met with Rice this past week behind closed doors and came away with more questions and troubled than they started with. However, its more interesting to learn that current Sec. of State Hillary Clinton is also no fan of  Susan Rice. It appears that Hillary Clinton prefers Senator John Kerry over Rice. Who is more damaged from Benghazi-gate, Clinton or Obama-Rice? However, as stated by Weasel Zippers, it appears Hillary will be branded a racists and sexist as well.

It ain’t embattled U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, who is dealing with the way she handled the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, that led to the killing of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

Sneed is told if Hillary had to choose between Rice and U.S. Sen. John Kerry, who is head of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, she would prefer Kerry.

“Hillary is not close to Rice, who is tough — but is not the friendliest person,” said a top White House source. “And Hillary’s brief comment recently that Rice had done ‘a great job’ was considered underwhelming and tepid,” the source added.

Hmm, think this is not a bit of a power-play on the part of Hillary Clinton against Obama? If it were not for the aid of Bill Clinton  Obama never would have won the 2012 election. However, with Hillary most likely going to run for President in 2016, this would be a nice feather in her cap, way to distance herself and show who wears the pants in the Obama Administration.

Exit question: How bad have things become where John “I voted for it before I voted against it” John Kerry is a better choice that Susan Rice.

Another Barack Obama Blunder on the World Stage and Sleepy Time for Hillary Clinton

Yup, no double standard here. What would the MSM had done if a Republican president had made such blunders? Remember when the media was so quick to attack Mitt Romney when he went overseas around the time of the Summer Olympics? However, mums the word when it comes to their protected president. Of course it is perfectly ok for President Obama to struggled to pronounce the name of Aung San Suu Kyi, the most prominent human rights activist in the world. Maybe English is his second language too? And of course Obama calling Burma ‘Myanmar’ as a so-called diplomatic courtesy.

From the UK Telegraph:

It is only two weeks since his re-election, and his second term remains two months away, but Barack Obama is already blundering again on the world stage, with the kind of gaffes that would have been plastered on the front page of The New York Times if they had been committed by George W. Bush when he was in the White House. Obama’s first term was littered with foreign policy gaffes, and there is every chance the second term will be more of the same.

On his trip to Asia this week, President Obama struggled to pronounce the name of Aung San Suu Kyi, the most prominent human rights activist in the world. As The Associated Press reports (hat tip: Drudge Report):

As Obama stood next to the world’s most recognized democracy icon, he mispronounced her name repeatedly.

Ever gracious, Suu Kyi did not correct her American guest for calling her Aung YAN Suu Kyi multiple times during his statement to reporters after their meeting.

Proper pronunciation for the Nobel laureate’s name is Ahng Sahn Soo Chee.

Oh, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton seemed so inspired by Obama’s words, she slept. I think it is safe to say that both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were both caught napping before, during and after the Benghazi terror attacks.

State Department Never Requested Military Backup the Night of the Terror Attack

Ambassador Stevens, Tyrone Woods, and Glenn Doherty asked and waited for military back up … IT NEVER CAME!  So now we know know that the State Department screwed up by denying Ambassador Stevens extra security when he stated, “the consulate could not withstand a coordinated attack.” Now we learn Obama and the military failed to provide any help for those begging for assistance.

On the night of the 9/11 anniversary assault at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, the Americans defending the compound and a nearby CIA annex were severely outmanned. Nonetheless, the State Department never requested military backup that evening, two senior U.S. officials familiar with the details of military planning tell The Daily Beast.

[...]

“The State Department is responsible for assessing security at its diplomatic installations and for requesting support from other government agencies if they need it,” a senior U.S. Defense official said. “There was no request from the Department of State to intervene militarily on the night of the attack.”

The president, however, would have the final say as to whether or not to send in the military. By 11 p.m. Benghazi time, 90 minutes after the assault began on the U.S. mission, Obama met with the National Security Council to discuss the attack. NSC spokesman Tommy Vietor said the president “ordered Secretary Panetta and Chairman Dempsey to begin moving assets into the region to prepare for a range of contingencies” at that meeting.

With such a clusterf*ck in Benghazi before during and after it is simply amazing that no one has resigned their post. One would think that some one would do the honorable thing or one would go forcibly. As Powerline states, at the very least, Hillary Clinton, Sec. of State must go.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Says, I Take Responsibility” for Diplomats’ Security in Libya … the Buck Stops with Hillary?

Hillary Clinton takes responsibility for security failure in Libya, I guess we know who wears the pants in this Administration.

Secretary of State Clinton said she takes responsibility when it comes to security concerns in Libya in the run up to the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi where four Americans were murdered, including U.S. Ambassador Stevens. So the “buck stops here” with Hillary Clinton, eh? And we always thought as Harry Truman said, that “the buck stops here” with the President. However, not when it comes to pass the buck Obama. As stated at Weasel Zippers, how convenient this comment is made the day before the next Presidential debate.

“I take responsibility,” Clinton said during a visit to Peru. “I’m in charge of the State Department’s 60,000-plus people all over the world, 275 posts. The president and the vice president wouldn’t be knowledgeable about specific decisions that are made by security professionals. They’re the ones who weigh all of the threats and the risks and the needs and make a considered decision.”

But she said an investigation now under way will ultimately determine what happened at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, where Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed on September 11.

“I take this very personally,” Clinton said. “So we’re going to get to the bottom of it, and then we’re going to do everything we can to work to prevent it from happening again, and then we’re going to work to bring whoever did this to us to justice.”

This hardly puts to rest the story of how a security debacle became a lie to the American people as to how this occurred long after the Obama administration was aware that the cause of the attacks was terrorism, not a video. But wait, uno momento por favor … why did it take five weeks for Hillary to fall on this political grenade? Better yet, why is she not resigning from office for such a catastrophic failure?

With all due respect to Hillary Clinton, that although her stepping up to the plate and taking responsibility for the security problems in Libya   , that does not even come close to explaining the coverup that took place after the killings, the blaming of the attacks on a video trailer, UN Ambassador Rice’s appearances 5 days later on the networks lying to the American people and Joe Biden’s comments during last week’s vice presidential debate that the White House did not know of requests to enhance security at Benghazi, contradicting testimony by State Department employees.

Doug Ross questions “I want to avoid some kind of political gotcha”. Political gotcha?

An Ambassador is dead and the administration trotted out a series of lies from the outset. And the key questions remain unanswered:

• Who ordered security removed from Ambassador Stevens when he and other personnel were requesting more security?

• Who made up the story about the video and the non-protest in Libya?

• And why were the false stories promoted for weeks on end?

Benghazi-gate: Axelrod defends White House on Libya & Throws Hillary Clinton and State Department Under the Obama Bus

It all depends on what “we”, is … Wasn’t this the White House that promised us transparency? The Obama White House continues the blame game and the buck stops some where else.

Obama senior adviser David Axelrod went on FOX News Sunday and got his lunch handed to him by host Cris Wallace as Axelrod tried to deflect blame from Barack Obama and threw Hillary Clinton under the bus. Axelrod was questioned by Wallace as to Joe Biden’s comment during the VP debate that the White House had no knowledge that requests for security in Libya were rejected. Axelrod stated that the State Department was responsible for embassy security matters. Hmm, now Obama WH trying to toss Hillary Clinton under the bus?

FOX News Sunday (see full transcript HERE):

WALLACE: But, David, just the day before, several State Department officials testified under oath that there were repeated requests for more security that were rejected. What is the vice president talking about?

AXELROD: I think the vice president was talking about what the White House knew. There are embassies all over the world and installations all over the world, and these requests go into the security professionals at the State Department. And there is no doubt, some of these matters went into the security department at the state security agency at the State Department. But it didn’t come to the White House and that what is the vice president was responding to.

WALLACE: So, we’re now getting into a definition of what the word “we” means. When the vice president says “we” he’s not talking about the Obama administration, because, the question was not about what you knew, it is that there were requests for more security. Biden is not talking about the Obama administration. He’s not talking about the State Department.

He’s just talking about himself and the president?

AXELROD: No, I think, Chris. Again, he was talking about was what he, the president knew because these matters were being handled at the State Department.

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