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Obama campaign manager defends response to Libya attack

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    Stephanie Cutter on 'Special Report'

  • Duration 7:00
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-- a -- there at the stage here in Danville Kentucky less than three hours away from the big debate we're going to talk with a couple of the top advisors now to the two campaigns first.

Joining me here in the spin around his Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter Stephanie thanks for being with us thanks for -- what is the vice president have to did not.

Well I think he's gonna do what.

He always does speak the truth.

About where this country has been over the last four years and -- -- the president -- ticket over the next four I think -- also.

No holds mr.

Ryan accountable for some facts.

That have been -- been slipping by the wayside shall we say over the past couple of weeks from the Romney and Ryan campaign they're just a week ago.

That we had a presidential debate and Mitt Romney all of a sudden said that there was no five trillion dollar tax and -- -- tax cut.

I'm so you know I would imagine that will be a topic tonight.

Paul Ryan wants sad that he didn't have time to -- math on that tax cut I think that hopefully tonight over the course of ninety minutes he could do that -- for us.

You even conceded on the show that with the deductions in the credits -- that while they haven't listed them specifically would writing.

-- about spread here's what I said.

He's put out a number of tax cuts whether it's the estate tax lowering everybody's rates by 20% getting rid of the AMT.

The highest payroll tax.

A number of tax cuts he's put on the table the total some of those tax cuts five trillion dollar but he said the debate and he adapted -- it -- if you cap to defense had a cap.

You could you could reach it in the Tax Policy Center whichever side -- campaign science says.

That you could reach the number that he's talking about.

And that.

No it didn't say that the text -- and that you could reach the -- that you can you could add up the deductions and loopholes to five trillion dollars if you.

Raise taxes on the middle class that's what the Tax Policy Center says and that's what a lots of independent economists had actually no they face added you don't have to if it's it could be revenue neutral.

If you take off certain.

Things off the table right.

But you know if you mean if you don't take off the table what Mitt Romney has taken off the table he's taken investment -- come off the table he's not that touched those loopholes for high end.

And come so because of what -- -- is taken off the table.

And his lack of specificity on the deductions it's really impossible to do the -- My point is is that.

Here -- down into what exactly he's going to say specifically tonight.

And Vice President Biden you're saying has been -- column on that a large part of this debate at least some of that possibly half is going to deal with foreign policy.

You were asked today about Libya and and specifically on the back and forth about what the administration has said and done.

Here's what you said on CNN today about that.

The entire reason.

That this is become the dean you know political topic it did it because of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan it's a big part of their stump speech and as reckless and there was nothing left and he didn't.

The entire reason has become a political topic it is.

Now obviously you know the Romney Ryan campaign jumped on that but but even from the left.

If you had mother Jones saying this quote Ben -- might be an issue because you know.

Four Americans were murdered by militants.

A lot of people jumped on -- -- out well mostly.

People associated with the Romney campaign -- -- know this person -- -- mother Jones and that's exactly right wing or -- it asked why it became such a political circus and who was the first person to respond to the -- attacks it was Mitt Romney -- that Romney was criticized that response because it was political.

By national news organizations and was asked to apologize by national witness.

Innovations and he's continued to attack the predecessor on the response to it to Libya until now yeah status White House but -- let me just I just finished Cairo.

Embassy release and -- that same release the same night welcome back six days seven days after the attack.

-- two days after Susan Rice.

We got on six Sunday shows and said that the attack was tied to this video of the Ben -- attack the president went on Letterman.

And said this to David Letterman about the Libya attack.

Tying it to the video.

He had a video that was released by.

Somebody who lives here.

Sort of shadowy character who who is extremely offensive.

Video directed at the that Mohammed and Islam making fun and profit making and making fun of the Prophet Mohammed and so that this caused.

Great offense.

In much of the Muslim world.

But what also happened was extremists and terrorists.

Use this as an excuse.

Two.

Attack.

A variety of our embassies including the one the -- -- in in Libya.

By the State Department holds a conference call just the other day and the reporter asked -- all these events that you described.

Led officials to believe for the first ever visit this is prompted by protests against the video.

Senior State Department official to answers quote.

That is a question that you would have to ask others that was not our conclusion another words the State Department.

Did not conclude that Ben Ghazi was tied to the video.

Well that's because it was an intelligence conclusion.

But strengthen our -- and the intelligent let's let's let's back up per second.

What are you suggesting here are you suggesting that we're playing politics with then I'm not -- anything you have to ask that you have the entire reason this has become the political topic right for people are dead.

Every politically and at this administration let me just get my sentence out.

This administration has treated this entire tragedy with the utmost seriousness to get to the bottom.

Of the attacks hold the perpetrators accountable and make sure that it never happens again that's why we are being responsible.

And diligent about our investigation now at the same time that we're doing that we have two people campaigning around the country accusing us of covering something up just yesterday -- -- accused of Gaza covering this up how investigations go some investigation into why it's dark it's handed -- Video and and information has become available the administration has made that it information public -- -- -- -- -- a pet how about this month.

He's the CIA that Director of National Intelligence statement which you may disagree you are but you can't accuse them of playing politics his statement two weeks after the attack said.

It was her with an original conclusion that the -- people were taking advantage of protests surrounding that video to attack the embassy.

We then learned two weeks later that it was a deliberate premeditated.

Attack by terrorists now that's what response of people responsible people do when they are conducting an investigation and releasing information to the American people can never understand we have to get what happened at the country.

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