Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Who should get the blame for response to Benghazi?

Details

  • Description

    President defends U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice

  • Duration 3:35
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Begin -- chief White House correspondent Ed Henry on the Libya attack and who should get the blank.

Good evening and good evening Chris that temperature was raised today as Republicans say they want Watergate style hearings into big -- the president fired back by -- gonna blame someone.

Blame me not my staff but what I pressed him today at the news conference on what he did to save lives the president did not want to get into details.

And his first full news conference at the White House in eight months President Obama raised to the defense of his UN ambassador Susan Rice as Republicans this morning about.

To block her from becoming the next secretary of state for them to go after.

The UN ambassador.

Who had nothing to do what -- Gaza.

-- was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received in this march her reputation -- outrageous.

-- days after the terror attack in Libya rice went on five Sunday talk shows to say the early intelligence suggested.

The assault was a spontaneous reaction to an anti Muslim video.

-- the White House who was impressed United States was at one of these people who watch -- that gave her talking points.

Clearly indicated something that of which there was no basis in facts earlier today Republican Senator John McCain joined Lindsey Graham and Kelly -- got it vowing to stop rice is potential nomination as secretary of state.

Well the president would not speculate about his choice to replace outgoing secretary Hillary Clinton.

He reacted angrily to the Republican charges and dug in hard enough to suggest he may need rice.

She made an appearance.

That the request from the White House in which she gave her best.

Understanding.

The intelligence that had been provided to -- if Senator McCain.

And senator Graham and others want to go after somebody they should go after me.

And I'm happy to have that.

Discussion with a.

Yeah when pressed by Fox News on his own role in reacting to the terror attackers the president did not directly answer your questions raised by some relatives of the four Americans killed -- been -- about whether he did enough to save their lives I would like to.

For you to address the families if you can.

On 9/11 as commander in chief did you issue any orders to try to protect their lives.

-- the over all address the family's.

Not through the press all -- families.

Directly has clarity have.

And we will provide all the information.

That is available about what happened on that day.

On the question of whether he personally issued any orders that night the president gave a general response about reaction from the State Department and other agencies.

They're number one priority is obviously protect American lives that's what our -- I can tell you that.

Immediately upon finding out that too -- folks were in danger.

Met my orders to my national security team or do whatever we need to do to make sure -- safe.

This president.

And this administration.

Has either.

Men guilty of colossal incompetence.

Or engaged in a cover up neither of which are acceptable to the American people.

What that administration officials push back on that by noting at 5 PM on September 11 the president ordered defense officials.

To move military assets into place as quickly as possible that resulted in four military teams being dispatched but they were not close enough to Libya.

To get there in time Chris and Henry reporting from the White House that thanks for that.

Load More