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Benghazi!!
Author: BobR    Date: 05/10/2013 12:33:51

 
witch-hunt
n
An investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover subversive activities but actually used to harass and undermine those with differing views

The term "witch hunt" comes from a sad episode in American history where early settlers in Salem, MA became obsessed with the notion that there were witches among them. They were certain that they were the cause of any calamity that befell them. Surely their new home in the new world was blessed by God and anything that interfered with that must be the work of the devil? And so they held "trials" in which anyone accused of being a witch had to prove that they weren't. The proof generally meant dying.

Throughout our history, this sort of behavior has occurred again and again, with the term "witch hunt" being applied once the reality of the paucity of evidence has become clear. It happened during the McCarthy hearings, it happened during the Clinton "Whitewater" investigation, and it is happening now during the Benghazi "investigation. There isn't any real evidence - it's just people who want something to be wrong digging until they can find something - anything - to hang around the neck of their target. For President Bill Clinton, that became a stained blue dress.

With the Benghazi investigation, the original target was President Obama. While they would still like to find some tiny nugget to tarnish his legacy and prompt talks of impeachment, the immediacy of that lost its luster once he was re-elected. Now they are looking forward to 2016 to pre-emptively target a potential Hillary Clinton candidacy. It seems obvious as the tone of the questions and answers shift from the White House to the former Secretary of State:
Clinton’s name was invoked over and over during the hearing (a blogger for Foreign Policy counted 32 mentions), with the committee airing testimony from department officials that she failed to sign off on efforts to rescue Ambassador Chris Stevens and two aides
[...]
The totality of the criticism, one longtime Obama aide told POLITICO, was a “clear effort to undermine” her — and to punch through the larger public’s disinterest in another Benghazi deep dive.
“Of course they are targeting Hillary. The idea that Hillary hating ever went away is insane. It was just dormant,” says former Bill Clinton adviser James Carville, echoing the view of other Clinton backers.

House Speaker Boehner is trying to help by demanding that the White House release emails (with sensitive information) regarding the attackers. Based on the description, it doesn't seem like there's anything there that we don't already know. They've been at this for 6 months now, and have nothing. It's all really an excuse to keep digging with the hopes they'll find something - anything - if they overturn enough rocks.

The problem for them is that there just seems to be no "there" there. The biggest criticism seems to be the mixed messaging and changing characterization of who the attackers were and what their motivations were. None of that is germane, of course, but with some smoke and mirrors, the Republicans can trot it out as "obvious evidence of a cover-up".

That just doesn't have enough zing, though, to engage the average voter. Rand Paul is trying to invoke the ghost of Reagan with his peculiar conspiracy theory that this happened because of secret arms trades with Syria:
“I’ve actually always suspected that, although I have no evidence, that maybe we were facilitating arms leaving Libya going through Turkey into Syria.”

The Republican senator said the New York Times had reported that Turkish ships were transporting weapons from Libya to Syria. How falsely claiming the attack on the U.S. consulate occurred during a spontaneous demonstration would help cover-up such a situation was unclear.

“I don’t know,” Paul said. “Were they trying to obscure that there was an arms operation going on at the CIA annex? I’m not sure exactly what was going on, but I think questions ought to be asked and answered...

Of course he does. Because it's well-known that regardless of the answer, a well-crafted question can be accusatory enough to instill doubt and suspicion in the casual observer. It's like the old saw of asking a politician "when did you stop beating your wife?". There is no answer that will undo the damage of the question. Regardless, this is an absurd assertion to make when you admittedly have "no evidence".

There are some real questions that need to be asked though, like: How is this a failure to protect the embassy when Republicans voted to cut funding for embassy security? This isn't just austerity - this is a direct funding cut that directly affected the safety of our diplomats with the expected result. It should be noted the Daryll Issa - the House Rep leading this "investigation" - was one of those who voted to cut the funding. What are the chances this will be brought up in the hearings? Slim and fat.

There is also the question of why this attack has been investigated so vociferously, while 11 embassy attacks that occurred on pResident George W. Bush's watch were not? Part of the reason is that the Democrats were in charge of the House from Jan 2007 on, and they don't do this kind of partisan hackery. However, there were still 5 that occurred when the Republicans were in charge of the House. Why no investigations? Probably because they were busy battling all their own scandals that sent several of their number to jail.

Don't expect the dust to settle anytime soon. It's 3 more years to the beginning of the 2016 campaign season, and the Republicans need to tar Hillary Clinton as much as they can between now and then in case she happens to run. The thing about witch hunts, unfortunately, is that they never end until someone is burning at the stake.
 

64 comments (Latest Comment: 05/10/2013 23:38:30 by Raine)
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Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 12:39:53
ben-good-zi morning...

Comment by trojanrabbit on 05/10/2013 12:43:30
Morning

Apparently there was a little tornadic activity in this neck of the woods yesterday. Nothing serious, some travel trailers in a sales lot got pushed around. All I know is that it was damn dark for most of the commute which took over 2 hours instead of 1.

Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 12:54:54
Morning. Ben Gazara. Oh sorry Benghazi. I get them confused.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 12:57:44
Morning

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 13:11:50
ZOMG! the new Bowie Video is

TOTALLY inappropriate uncomfortable and I love it.



And Donahue hates it!
Not everyone is excited about David Bowie's return: The Catholic League yesterday attacked the singer's new video for "The Next Day," calling it the work of a "switch-hitting, bisexual senior citizen from London" that "is strewn with characteristic excess."

Catholic League president Bill Donohue made his comments in a statement posted on the group's website. Bowie wrote and Floria Sigismondi directed the video, which features Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard. The clip shows priests frolicking with scantily clad women in a nightclub where a Christ-like singer, played by Bowie, is performing. One of the women, played by Cotillard, develops stigmata, and Bowie disappears in a wink, presumably to ascend into heaven.


Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 13:13:30
Quote by Raine:
ZOMG! the new Bowie Video is

TOTALLY inappropriate uncomfortable and I love it.



And Donahue hates it!
Not everyone is excited about David Bowie's return: The Catholic League yesterday attacked the singer's new video for "The Next Day," calling it the work of a "switch-hitting, bisexual senior citizen from London" that "is strewn with characteristic excess."

Catholic League president Bill Donohue made his comments in a statement posted on the group's website. Bowie wrote and Floria Sigismondi directed the video, which features Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard. The clip shows priests frolicking with scantily clad women in a nightclub where a Christ-like singer, played by Bowie, is performing. One of the women, played by Cotillard, develops stigmata, and Bowie disappears in a wink, presumably to ascend into heaven.


If Donohue hates it, it has to be great! Kinda like being "banned in Boston" in days of yore.


Comment by trojanrabbit on 05/10/2013 13:18:31
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
ZOMG! the new Bowie Video is

TOTALLY inappropriate uncomfortable and I love it.



And Donahue hates it!
Not everyone is excited about David Bowie's return: The Catholic League yesterday attacked the singer's new video for "The Next Day," calling it the work of a "switch-hitting, bisexual senior citizen from London" that "is strewn with characteristic excess."

Catholic League president Bill Donohue made his comments in a statement posted on the group's website. Bowie wrote and Floria Sigismondi directed the video, which features Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard. The clip shows priests frolicking with scantily clad women in a nightclub where a Christ-like singer, played by Bowie, is performing. One of the women, played by Cotillard, develops stigmata, and Bowie disappears in a wink, presumably to ascend into heaven.


If Donohue hates it, it has to be great! Kinda like being "banned in Boston" in days of yore.

Because if it was more true-to-life, the priests would be frolicking with scantily clad boys behind the altar.

Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 13:18:41
Quote by Raine:
ZOMG! the new Bowie Video is

TOTALLY inappropriate uncomfortable and I love it.



And Donahue hates it!
Not everyone is excited about David Bowie's return: The Catholic League yesterday attacked the singer's new video for "The Next Day," calling it the work of a "switch-hitting, bisexual senior citizen from London" that "is strewn with characteristic excess."

Catholic League president Bill Donohue made his comments in a statement posted on the group's website. Bowie wrote and Floria Sigismondi directed the video, which features Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard. The clip shows priests frolicking with scantily clad women in a nightclub where a Christ-like singer, played by Bowie, is performing. One of the women, played by Cotillard, develops stigmata, and Bowie disappears in a wink, presumably to ascend into heaven.



I just watched, without sound, and that is hilarious. It so totally over the top.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 13:28:55
What movie is Jim doing?

Comment by TriSec on 05/10/2013 13:59:03
Morning, comrades.

TriSec is busily trying to arrange an audition with "Bugles Across America" so I can finally participate in a mission and play taps across town lines in Watertown this Memorial Day.



Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 14:11:35
Quote by TriSec:
Morning, comrades.

TriSec is busily trying to arrange an audition with "Bugles Across America" so I can finally participate in a mission and play taps across town lines in Watertown this Memorial Day.




That is very cool.

Comment by Scoopster on 05/10/2013 14:17:41
Mornin' all & Happy Fridee!!

Good to see Bowie's still kickin' ass!

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 14:34:33
For those that saw my FB status last night -- with the help of so many people, I am VERY happy to say that my friend is getting married on MONDAY!

The judge is waiving the 3 day waiting period as well.



Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 14:35:30
Quote by Raine:
For those that saw my FB status last night -- with the help of so many people, I am VERY happy to say that my friend is getting married on MONDAY!

The judge is waiving the 3 day waiting period as well.




Yay!

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 14:40:40
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
For those that saw my FB status last night -- with the help of so many people, I am VERY happy to say that my friend is getting married on MONDAY!

The judge is waiving the 3 day waiting period as well.




Yay!


woohoo!


Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 14:43:17
"We'll do it because it's a mitzvah, that's why!"


Read the whole thing -- it really says what I was trying to get at the other day in this blog-- only WAY betterer...

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 15:25:00
Hey, TOP just reported that Tamerlan was buried near Doswell, VA. They put him under the Scooby Doo roller coaster I just know it.

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 15:31:34
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey, TOP just reported that Tamerlan was buried near Doswell, VA. They put him under the Scooby Doo roller coaster I just know it.


OMG Mala...


Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 15:33:40
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey, TOP just reported that Tamerlan was buried near Doswell, VA. They put him under the Scooby Doo roller coaster I just know it.


OMG Mala...



that is a terrify roller coaster, you have no idea who that thing scared the snot out of me as a kid!

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 15:34:23
You know there are some rude, crazy people on Frank Wolf's FB page.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 15:46:07
Quote by wickedpam:
You know there are some rude, crazy people on Frank Wolf's FB page.


that beverly chick is a bitch


Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 15:46:43
Quote by wickedpam:
You know there are some rude, crazy people on Frank Wolf's FB page.

including the person who OWN the page?

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 15:47:40
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by wickedpam:
You know there are some rude, crazy people on Frank Wolf's FB page.


that beverly chick is a bitch
*gasp*

seriously -- she is, but I'm always surprised at seeing you write that.


Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 15:48:15
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
You know there are some rude, crazy people on Frank Wolf's FB page.

including the person who OWN the page?



Wolf never responds to anything. Its all the people who fall in line to be yes men to him.

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 15:49:18
Wolf is the guy you are working to get out of office, correct?

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 15:49:36
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by wickedpam:
You know there are some rude, crazy people on Frank Wolf's FB page.


that beverly chick is a bitch
*gasp*

seriously -- she is, but I'm always surprised at seeing you write that.



she's just pissed me off with her condescending tone - no one gets to call me Pammy unless I was there within 1 week of you being born.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 15:50:31
Quote by Raine:
Wolf is the guy you are working to get out of office, correct?



I was but he won his election against Cabral - now I'm working on Jackson Miller from the Commonwealths congress.

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 15:52:16
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by wickedpam:
You know there are some rude, crazy people on Frank Wolf's FB page.


that beverly chick is a bitch
*gasp*

seriously -- she is, but I'm always surprised at seeing you write that.



she's just pissed me off with her condescending tone - no one gets to call me Pammy unless I was there within 1 week of you being born.


Oh, that shit pisses me off -- It's like someone I'm debating calling me sweety to try to put me in my place. Condescending and sexist -- doesn't matter to me if a woman says it.

DON'T do that -- you will see my inner bitch come out, chew up on side of you, down another and then I'll rip a new asshole.







Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 15:52:22
Oh, and keeping the Cuch out of the Gov's chair

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 15:54:43
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by wickedpam:
You know there are some rude, crazy people on Frank Wolf's FB page.


that beverly chick is a bitch
*gasp*

seriously -- she is, but I'm always surprised at seeing you write that.



she's just pissed me off with her condescending tone - no one gets to call me Pammy unless I was there within 1 week of you being born.


Oh, that shit pisses me off -- It's like someone I'm debating calling me sweety to try to put me in my place. Condescending and sexist -- doesn't matter to me if a woman says it.

DON'T do that -- you will see my inner bitch come out, chew up on side of you, down another and then I'll rip a new asshole.





you guys are so much better at dealing with people like that - I just get uber pissed off and words can't form correctly

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 16:03:36
Quote by wickedpam:
Oh, and keeping the Cuch out of the Gov's chair
The ad's with his wife are killing me.

McCauliffe needs to step up with ads -- I haven't seen any locally.

I really think he should not take NoVa for granted. The race is REALLY tight.


Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 16:04:07
Quote by TriSec:
Morning, comrades.

TriSec is busily trying to arrange an audition with "Bugles Across America" so I can finally participate in a mission and play taps across town lines in Watertown this Memorial Day.

That is awesome, Tri.


Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 16:09:09
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Oh, and keeping the Cuch out of the Gov's chair
The ad's with his wife are killing me.

McCauliffe needs to step up with ads -- I haven't seen any locally.

I really think he should not take NoVa for granted. The race is REALLY tight.



I saw one the other night. Its just all beginning.

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 16:50:23
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Oh, and keeping the Cuch out of the Gov's chair
The ad's with his wife are killing me.

McCauliffe needs to step up with ads -- I haven't seen any locally.

I really think he should not take NoVa for granted. The race is REALLY tight.



I saw one the other night. Its just all beginning.
Good. McCauliffe certainly wasn't my first choice, but you know, neither was Barack-- I'm willing to be wrong again.




Comment by livingonli on 05/10/2013 17:01:19
Good day, folks. It took my computer forever to boot up today.

Comment by Scoopster on 05/10/2013 18:36:52
It’s a divisive issue that divides our state. It’s not what we needed to be doing at this time. We want to come together for the state of Minnesota, we don’t want to divide it.

Hey nitwit here's a tip.. if you don't want to divide people, THEN DON'T SUPPORT DISCRIMINATION!

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 18:45:32
I am home!

I'll never leave home again...

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 18:47:09
Comment by TriSec on 05/10/2013 18:50:29
<-- TriSec runs out of gas.

I still haven't got my stamina back yet - on a good day, I have about 6 hours in the tank.

Kayaking is going to be fun. (Or, "Don't drown - It'll spoil your day")



Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 19:02:49



OMG that was hysterical! Worlds needs more people like these XD

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 19:05:53
Quote by wickedpam:



OMG that was hysterical! Worlds needs more people like these XD
YES the world does!


Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 19:32:08
Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 19:35:43
James Inhofe, you sexist ass, you are not helping.

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said that Hillary Clinton showed a “forceful attitude” not usually heard from women when she blew up in January’s Senate hearings on Benghazi, in response to repeated questions about the State Department’s initial claims that the attacks were the result of protests.


Comment by TriSec on 05/10/2013 19:43:06
Just saw something curious on one of the Muslim sites that I pick up the feeds for on Google Plus.


While casting one's vote, one should be more concerned about the hereafter rather the world. A vote is equivalent to giving "shahadat" that the person is truthful and honest, and is able to complete the task for which he has stood up in the best interest of the people..


I don't vote for the "hereafter", that's not for me to worry about. (Well, maybe it is, but that's between me and Allah, or the elected and Allah). I'm voting for how a particular candidate will operate in "the world".

I suppose that sounds kind of muddled, but I hope you understand what I'm trying to say here.

Essentially, vote for the here and the now, something you can actually have influence over. I'll worry about the hereafter should I reach it.


Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 19:48:12
Quote by Mondobubba:
James Inhofe, you sexist ass, you are not helping.

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said that Hillary Clinton showed a “forceful attitude” not usually heard from women when she blew up in January’s Senate hearings on Benghazi, in response to repeated questions about the State Department’s initial claims that the attacks were the result of protests.
b-b-b-b-ut I thought we we were in a post sexist society!


Comment by livingonli on 05/10/2013 19:56:22
Off to the salt mine. I've got me Nationals-Cubs on MASN tonight.

Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 19:57:54
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
James Inhofe, you sexist ass, you are not helping.

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said that Hillary Clinton showed a “forceful attitude” not usually heard from women when she blew up in January’s Senate hearings on Benghazi, in response to repeated questions about the State Department’s initial claims that the attacks were the result of protests.
b-b-b-b-ut I thought we we were in a post sexist society!



Keep thinking that Sweet Cheeks.

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 20:03:20
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
James Inhofe, you sexist ass, you are not helping.

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said that Hillary Clinton showed a “forceful attitude” not usually heard from women when she blew up in January’s Senate hearings on Benghazi, in response to repeated questions about the State Department’s initial claims that the attacks were the result of protests.
b-b-b-b-ut I thought we we were in a post sexist society!



Keep thinking that Sweet Cheeks.
Sorry sugar, that isn't enough to make the inner bitch come out, chew up on side of you, down another and then I'll rip you a new asshole.

nice try.




Comment by trojanrabbit on 05/10/2013 20:04:57
Then there's this tidbit from Inhofe

“People may be starting to use the I-word before too long,”


Yes, Inhofe, you're an idiot.

Is Oklahoma trying to take back honors for having the two derpiest Senators away from Kentucky?

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 20:10:33
Hey everyone! My friend wrote this...

and it includes Bobber.

Actually Wendy and Mike are friends as well!

Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 20:11:14
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
James Inhofe, you sexist ass, you are not helping.

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said that Hillary Clinton showed a “forceful attitude” not usually heard from women when she blew up in January’s Senate hearings on Benghazi, in response to repeated questions about the State Department’s initial claims that the attacks were the result of protests.
b-b-b-b-ut I thought we we were in a post sexist society!



Keep thinking that Sweet Cheeks.
Sorry sugar, that isn't enough to make the inner bitch come out, chew up on side of you, down another and then I'll rip you a new asshole.

nice try.




Gotcha, Punkin.

Comment by TriSec on 05/10/2013 20:20:30
Comment by trojanrabbit on 05/10/2013 20:37:20
Ugh, it can't POSSIBLY take 2 1/2 hours to get home tonight like it did last night. Can it?

Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 20:50:19



It is dead body people. Deal with it.

Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 20:51:10
Quote by Raine:
Hey everyone! My friend wrote this...

and it includes Bobber.

Actually Wendy and Mike are friends as well!



That is your backyard isn't it?

Comment by wickedpam on 05/10/2013 20:59:38
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Hey everyone! My friend wrote this...

and it includes Bobber.

Actually Wendy and Mike are friends as well!



That is your backyard isn't it?


That's cool that your working toward being a judge! I'm always raving about the beer you make - love it!


Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 21:08:23
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Hey everyone! My friend wrote this...

and it includes Bobber.

Actually Wendy and Mike are friends as well!



That is your backyard isn't it?


That's cool that your working toward being a judge! I'm always raving about the beer you make - love it!



The process to become a judge has to be less complex that judges for cat shows :eyeroll: Don't get me started. :eyeroll:

Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 21:19:57
Comment by Mondobubba on 05/10/2013 21:24:24
1962 – Marvel Comics publishes the first issue of The Incredible Hulk. Happy birthday! Go SMASH! You earned it!

Comment by livingonli on 05/10/2013 21:38:56
Quote by Mondobubba:
1962 – Marvel Comics publishes the first issue of The Incredible Hulk. Happy birthday! Go SMASH! You earned it!

And to think it originally only lasted six issues. Of course, that was followed by his very brief stint as an Avenger, a few guest appearances in other books before he was given a second chance and started sharing Tales to Astonish with Giant-Man (and later Sub-Mariner) beginning with issue 60 before that becomes his second book with issue 102.

Comment by Raine on 05/10/2013 23:38:30
I will be on Turn up the night from 8-10 pm tonite!

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