An exchange between U.S. Senator Ron Johnson and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gets heated during a hearing on the Benghazi attacks. In Clinton’s first testimony since the September incident in Libya, Johnson asked her about the Obama administration’s action following the assault on U.S. interests.
Johnson asked why, on the night of the consulate attack, State Department officials did not make a “simple phone call” to evacuees to immediately gain information about the situation. Clinton responded their priority was the medical treatment of the injured and they did not think it was “appropriate” to speak with the evacuees prior to the FBI conducting its interviews.
Johnson accused Ambassador Susan Rice of “purposefully misleading” the public with her comments that the attacks sprang from protests that spiraled out of control.
Rice later said her initial comments about the nature of the incident was incorrect.
Clinton later fired back, “With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans! Was it because of a protest or was it because guys out for a walk one night who decided they’d go kill some Americans?” She emphasized the importance of bringing the terrorists responsible to justice.
Both sides of the political aisle enjoyed the exchange. Johnson’s office circulated the video and the left-leaning Talking Points Memo posted a clip.