Saturday, May 11, 2013

Credit WaPo With An Assist


















I don't think Jay Carney really needs any help putting his protective spin on the Benghazi talking points story, but the WaPo has his back anyway.

The WaPo's headline about yesterday's White House press briefing is: "Benghazi e-mails show clash between State Department, CIA."

Here are the first two paragraphs:
New details from administration e-mails about last year’s attacks on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, demonstrate that an intense bureaucratic clash took place between the State Department and the CIA over which agency would get to tell the story of how the tragedy unfolded.

That clash played out in the development of administration talking points that have been at the center of the controversy over the handling of the incident, according to the e-mails that came to light Friday.

It's just about two agencies squabbling over who gets the blame, you see. Distasteful, but nothing having to do with the White House.

You have to read 14 paragraphs into the story to find out that "White House officials were directly involved in developing the talking points through discussions with the CIA, the State Department, the FBI, the Justice Department, and elements of the Pentagon."

Let's hope nobody reads that far. Meanwhile, the WaPo will be scanning the sky for bogies while Jay Carney pursues a target.

In the words of @iowahawkblog, "journalism is about covering important stories - with a pillow, until they stop moving."

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL TSB: Well put. Jake Tapper has found that since being elevated to his own show status with CNN? he has to be really careful not to step on anybodies toes. Of course his ratings are dismal. gwb

James said...

I don't know TSB but I've got a feeling that pissing off the State Dept. and the CIA at the same time might be a little foolish. They'll need a whole bunch of little dutch boys for the leaks.

TSB said...

GWB - Tapper was the only WH reporter who would actually ask questions that annoyed Carney; I'd hate to see him self-censor now.

James - I'll bet we do see more leaks coming up. Once the mainstream media senses a feeding frenzy, it will be every man for himself.

Anonymous said...

TSB: I agree about Tapper as a reporter. He does as much annoying stuff as he can. IRS targeting Nixon 2.0 style should be fun and then there is 'Big Sis' putting biometric ID for everyone (the photo tool) in the immigration bill. Pretty soon you are going to need government clearance to go to a public toilet. It looks like BBC is the only outfit covering Libya or Syria. gwb

James said...

" it will be every man for himself." You shouldn't talk about Hillary like that!

Anonymous said...

iowahawkblog "Remain Low"? Orwell would be proud, State Radio Ministry. MT @nprnews U
We are up 60cents a gallon here TSB in the past 2 weeks and now remain moderately at $4.00 a gallon. gwb

Anonymous said...

TSB: Looks like the UN is recognizing how forward looking those N.Korean work camps have been. gwb
Fight World Hunger: Eat Insects, UN Recommends
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/13/2013 - 10:23
And the 'Invisible Guy' points out that "it is our interventionist foreign policy and its unintended consequences that have created these problems, including the attack and murder of Ambassador Stevens. The disputed talking points and White House whitewashing are just a sideshow."

Anonymous said...

TSB: If I could tweet: Saudi Man Arrested At Detroit Airport For Owning Pressure Cooker gwb

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-13/arabian-man-arrested-detroit-airport-owning-pressure-cooker

And, of course for having an Arab sounding name!

Anonymous said...

TSB: IRS-Gate hearings on Friday. Should be lots of 'ficials' taking the 5th and then being thrown to the wolves by a shocked Potus!

TSB said...

GWB: gas at $4 a gallon? It's holding steady at around $3.60 here. I feel your pain!

Re Insects and relieving world hunger - would it make the insects more nutritious if they were prepared in pressure cookers? Just trying to find a peaceful use for that new tool of terror.

Anonymous said...

That's a good idea TSB for the pressure cookers. I went on gas buddy and saw Chicago premium is pushing 6 bucks with regular pushing 5. Everything is better inside the bubble! gwb

Anonymous said...

Russia Captures US Embassy Work
TSB: Your tax $$ at work! Anybody want to spy for the CIA? Here is the email address! gwb

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-14/russia-captures-us-embassy-worker-act-cia-recruitment

Anonymous said...

DiFi and Schumer are arguing for the drivers license/picture based biometric entry/exit reqt is necessary because using fingerprints would cost $25 billion to implement.
Nobody mentions that all states will then switch to what Wash State already does which is take biometric photos for drivers licenses. If they get this thru then the total police state is almost a cinch..and at much less cost than fingerprinting everyone!
The airlines will oppose implementing the drivers license exit reqt so it will be just the law abiding citizens who will be affected. gwb (I'm for finger prints!)

James said...

TSB: Looks like there's whole bus loads of little dutch boys with sore fingers running all over the place this week! Would have given anything to have been a fly on the at AP when their little story broke. And who would have dreamed the IRS would become the hunted. My how the world turns.
This just in from Somalia; a report on the insect East Sahara Diet " tastes just like chicken, wish I had some chicken".

TSB said...

GWB: I understand that the Russian agent was code named "newfriendfor1million$@gmail.com"

Finger prints are good for me, too, just so long as they implement some kind of visa exit accountability.

James: This was a slow news week, huh? Benghazi talking point edits leak out, DOJ snooping into AP phone records, IRS caught politicizing tax enforcement and lying about it to Congress. The whole A section of the New York Times may have to be blank tomorrow.

James said...

" The whole A section of the New York Times may have to be blank tomorrow." That would speak volumes!

Anonymous said...

TSB: Which committee will 'Friendfer1mill$' be appearing before to plead for better equipment & training? I would like to see him either with Issa or live on The Daily Show with Louis Gomert. gwb

TSB said...

GWB: I haven't been keeping up with the wigged-out CIA guy story, since I've been in a training course recently. But I expect the intelligence oversight committees will ask about it, so we might see something further in the New York Times any day.

Anonymous said...

This should make our day TSB: Bipartisan action today to hold Eric Holder in contempt of Congress! gwb

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-15/holder-issa-smackdown

Anonymous said...

What is cool about this news that came from TPM is that not one media organization is willing to put this out today. It shows how intimidated they are by the WH. Even politico doesn't have it on their website. gwb

Anonymous said...

Oops! That was last year TSB when they held Holder in contempt. Let's do it again and add a bunch of people to the list! (Sometimes I feel like I'm as bad as Michelle Bachman.) gwb

Anonymous said...

TSB: Now another IRS Commish has resigned. (probably because he didn't know anything either) gwb

Anonymous said...

TSB: Paul Ryan leading the charge of the partisan trying to get over the stone wall of Commish Miller who investigated, testified and then resigned but can't seem to remember any details and defends everything he did. Sarah Ingram will be great next week? She definitely looks like a Nazi to me. (In other words, "a fine public servant.") gwb

TSB said...

"A fine public servant." Well, you know what Police Chief Wiggums (The Simpsons) said about that: "As a public servant, I'm not permitted to use my own judgment in any way whatsoever."


James said...

TSB:
Nobody knows nuttin. Nobody remembers nuttin. Nobody can do nuttin.

Anonymous said...

TSB: Google: Don't (get caught) Be Evil! http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/article1261720.ece

It may be the hottest stock now but I sense a turn in sentiment coming. BingBing! gwb

Anonymous said...

TSB: The IRS: They want it all!!

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/17/irs-sued-seizing-60-million-medical-records/

gwb

TSB said...

GWB: Talk about a fishing expedition! They had a warrant to search for one man's records, and ended up taking pretty much everything. You can't fault the IRS for laziness; that's one government agency that gives you a dollar's worth of government for a dollar's worth of tax money.

Anonymous said...

That's right TSB! And if the news media or any of the politicians happens to notice this they will realize it's time to quit worrying about your medical records and Obamacare because they already have em! That scapegoat story is a good one. I hope they call Cheryl Mills. I'd like to hear that. gwb

Anonymous said...

TSB: Now we are making progress! gwb
So far the IRS Commish has made one thing clear. NOBODY GETS TO LOOK AT THOSE EMAILS! (I think that is a clue.)
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-top-irs-official-fifth-amendment-20130521,0,6645565.story

Anonymous said...

TSB: This is getting worser by the day if Stevens was there to clean up Hillary's 'stinger for AQ' mess over CIA objections and then she abandoned him over Carter Ham objections! gwb


http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2013/05/21/pjm-exclusive-ex-diplomats-report-new-benghazi-whistleblowers-with-info-devastating-to-clinton-and-obama/