CNN’s Candy Crowley: Mitt Romney ‘right in the main’ about Libya
The most dramatic moment in Tuesday night’s debate between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney came during a heated discussion of Libya, when moderator Candy Crowley of CNN intervened and became a third voice in the contest.
Here’s the transcript, courtesy of Politico.com:
ROMNEY: I — I think interesting the president just said something which — which is that on the day after the attack he went into the Rose Garden and said that this was an act of terror.
OBAMA: That’s what I said.
ROMNEY: You said in the Rose Garden the day after the attack, it was an act of terror.
It was not a spontaneous demonstration, is that what you’re saying?
OBAMA: Please proceed governor.
ROMNEY: I want to make sure we get that for the record because it took the president 14 days before he called the attack in Benghazi an act of terror.
OBAMA: Get the transcript.
CROWLEY: It — it — it — he did in fact, sir. So let me — let me call it an act of terror…
OBAMA: Can you say that a little louder, Candy?
CROWLEY: He — he did call it an act of terror. It did as well take — it did as well take two weeks or so for the whole idea there being a riot out there about this tape to come out. You are correct about that.
Soon after the debate was over, Crowley’s colleagues at CNN questioned her about the exchange:
Said Crowley:
”I knew the president had said ‘These acts of terror won’t stand,’ or whatever the whole quote was. Right after that, I did turn around and said [to Romney], ‘But you were totally correct that they spent two weeks telling us that this was about a tape, and that there was a riot outside the Benghazi complex, which there wasn’t.’
“So [Romney] was right in the main. I just think he picked the wrong word.”
Republicans this morning are pointing to these paragraphs from a Sept. 20 report on the CNN website:
The White House, for the first time Thursday, declared the attack that killed Stevens and three other people a terrorist attack.
“It is, I think, self-evident that what happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney, speaking to reporters on Air Force One.
Here’s what Obama said in the Rose Garden the day after he learned that J. Christopher Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, and three other diplomatic personnel had been killed:
“Our country is only as strong as the character of our people and the service of those both civilian and military who represent us around the globe. No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for.
“Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, justice will be done.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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536 comments Add your comment
Masters Degree
October 17th, 2012
1:15 pm
reading the name calling of most supposed to be conservatives is really turning me off…
How can you trust Romney when he does not have a position?????
he changes his position like the wind… and that is a fact…. solid hard fact….
I think the reason people are calling Obama obozo and hussein is because of the deep seated hatred they have for him… (some of it racism huh)
How can you call him a failed President?
no president in our lifetime has tackled healthcare…. fact!!!
no president in our lifetime has inherited such an awful economy and turned it around!!! fact…..
look at the numbers… the facts… the economy is not doing awful.. it is recovering…. FACT!!!
walker
October 17th, 2012
1:15 pm
I am sick of Obama and all his lies . He sends out Hilary to take the heat off of his failed leadership. He talks about women and he is willing to throw Hilary under the bus for something he is not man enough to stand up to admit he dropped the ball. I would like to hear what Bill Clinton has to say on this matter. I bet he is fuming she is covering Obama’s rear end. Obama is way over his head with our economy and he is so busy catering to the Stars in Holloywood he has no time for what is going on in our country. He has been the biggest disapointment. He had 2 years with a majority in Congress and Senate and he did nothing but work on destoying our health care system. He has got to go.
Jed
October 17th, 2012
1:16 pm
The worst part is the president couldn’t defend himself, he needed a moderator to do it. Weak sauce, man!
swanzae
October 17th, 2012
1:18 pm
@HUH???? What isMitt planning to do if he is elected? On my first day in office I will…. how many times did he make that statement last night… I was so sick of hearing that. He is a fake…. I will cut capital gains taxes for the middle class really? How many of us have the means to have capital gains? I am in the middle class and I wish… No taxes on savings accounts…. really? Let’s see what else…. his vouchers for education…. wow the people here in GA have a problem with Charter Schools…I can only imagine what vouchers will do to further damage the educational system. He also said it’s not Gov’ts job to create jobs then why was he constantly making the remark I will create jobs for the middle class.
As far as Candy is concerned enough of the fat jokes… what if everyone made fun of you because you are short and bald? Or that you have a comb over. You are so typical hide behind a blog and insult people. Stupid….
Chri White
October 17th, 2012
1:20 pm
This is why the market crashed, Liberals padding their pockets…
“McCain, a champion of common sense regulation, supported Senate bill 109, introduced in 2005 by Charles Hagel, a Republican member of the Banking Committee from Nebraska. McCain announced in a speech that he was a co-sponsor of the bill. The purpose of the bill was to stop Fanny May and the congressional dems from forcing banks into making even more risky loans and investing what the conservatives knew would eventually be the taxpayer’s money into toxic loans. Lib-dems, under Chris Dodd, the chairman of the Senate banking committee, acted in lock step to kill the bill in committee and continued to encourage Franklin Raines at Fanny May to buy up as many of the diseased loans as possible. “
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:25 pm
“Are you supporting Romney because he’s a GOP’er or the best candidate for our country?”
Yes.
“Do you suspect the people of MA know something you don’t?”
MA is a liberal democrat state.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:26 pm
“What isMitt planning to do if he is elected?”
Lower unemployment, get people back to work, cut government spending…
You know, things that matter.
No one has even tried to explain what Obama is going to do.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:27 pm
“HUH????? might be dumber than larry the cable guy. this guy really makes the case for abortion.”
billy is a klan member who loves killing babies.
Masters Degree
October 17th, 2012
1:27 pm
Ted G… masters degree is actully a conservative… and I wish the GOP would really be about smaller government… look at right here in GA you have the Governer tryng to play a part in schools. I will SAY NO TO THAT….
Fact of the matter is this dog don’t hunt… this fish don’t swim… we are losing the global race to india and china and we have people willing to concentrate on name calling.
my kids are homeschooled by the way so they never have to deal with your offspring…. I also have my carry permit just in case I am on the street and have to back one of you wackos up.
UGA89
October 17th, 2012
1:28 pm
OBAMA 2012!!!
When did Georgia become a State of rich people? In four years, all of you will be complaining Romney isn’t helping the middle class and that you are in worse shape.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:29 pm
“How can you trust Romney when he does not have a position?????”
Not meant to be a factual statement.
“How can you call him a failed President?”
His record?
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:30 pm
“n four years, all of you will be complaining Romney isn’t helping the middle class and that you are in worse shape.”
I didn’t know that UGA offered course is seeing the future.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:33 pm
“wow the people here in GA have a problem with Charter Schools”
Only those who love failed public schools.
“He also said it’s not Gov’ts job to create jobs then why was he constantly making the remark I will create jobs for the middle class.”
Mitt is a job creator and has the resume to prove it. If you had half a brain and read his plan he stated several times that he will lower taxes on small businesses so that they can hire.
Are you libs really THAT stupid?
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:34 pm
UH OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
http://www.gallup.com/poll/157817/election-2012-likely-voters-trial-heat-obama-romney.aspx
Ed
October 17th, 2012
1:34 pm
Oblivious to the magnitude of his ignorance….. HUH?????
JESS
October 17th, 2012
1:34 pm
WE NOW KNOW IT WAS A TERRORIST ATTACK, NOT A DEMONSTRATION.
RELEASE THE FILM MAKER UNLESS YOU CAN LEGITIMATELY CHARGE HIM AS A TERRORIST (didn’t see that coming did you? )
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:34 pm
Bizarre Coincidence: Democrats Get More Time in All Three Debates
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/330742/bizarre-coincidence-democrats-get-more-time-all-three-debates-katrina-trinko
Seriously People
October 17th, 2012
1:35 pm
1. Do you really believe Crowley favored Obama in the debate? Really???
2. I guess you want some unbiased ‘journalist’ from Fox News to moderate instead?
3. Obama did say it was an act of Terror in the Rose Garden. It’s not his fault Romney grabbed on to the wrong thing to challenge him on. And Crowley simply stated the fact on both sides. She agreed with Obama on that point and then told Romney he was right on the intent of his point. It was just to late to save him.
4. Obama rattles off a long list of promises that he got done (don’t have to agree with the policy – but he got them done) and Romney comes right back with here is what you didn’t get done that you promised. Really?
I know that’s the game, but does anyone really believe that any candidate has ever or will ever keep and complete every promise he makes in a campaign? Do you really think Romney would keep every promise he has made….oh yea, that’s right….his promises are vague and hollow enough that we won’t be able to tell if he kept them or not. Since he’s not filling in the details until after the election when it’s too late.
Forrest Gump
October 17th, 2012
1:35 pm
It doesn’tmatter who our President is. This country is in a mess and it will not get better until parents take control of their families and kids. Also the greed of industry has to change. Getting things made overseas cheaper has killed our economy. Unless we get a President to bring industry back to the US I do not see our economy improving.
Forrest Gump
October 17th, 2012
1:38 pm
We are also groing broke funding all these programs designed to help raise kids. I am so sick of all the money in communities that go to these boys and girls clubs. I am tired of funding baby sitting when that should fall on the Parents.
Butter Butt
October 17th, 2012
1:39 pm
The fat lady was a little bias don’t you think?
Bob
October 17th, 2012
1:40 pm
Masters degree, you really think a governor should not have any say in schools ?
richard simmons
October 17th, 2012
1:40 pm
She also outweighs both of them combined.
Republicans are brainwashed fools
October 17th, 2012
1:41 pm
HUH????? – you must be one of the government dependent 47% that Romney told us about. You’ve been blabbing your BS all day on this story. Go get a freaking job! Clearly you don’t have one.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:43 pm
“Do you really believe Crowley favored Obama in the debate?”
She voted for him.
tony
October 17th, 2012
1:43 pm
regarding this earlier comment:
“Anyone who votes for Obama & his prior performance is ignorant & uneducated, or perhaps, on the govt dole.”
This description pretty much sums up the average Conservative Republican. You can watch Fox all you want to form your opinions but you can’t change the facts, that economic growth is accelerating faster than it did after the Depression. Clinton was right when he said that NO president in US history could have climbed us out of the depths we were in faster than Obama. If you don’t believe this, then you don’t understand economics or the depth of the crisis.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:44 pm
“you must be one of the government dependent 47% that Romney told us about. You’ve been blabbing your BS all day on this story. Go get a freaking job! Clearly you don’t have one.”
Poor whittle baby. Upset that I put you left wingers in your place.
OBIWAN
October 17th, 2012
1:45 pm
First off Obozo lied to the whole world at the UN, 2 weeks after the fact… Also the testimony in front of congress some of the state department personnel watched these terrorist attacks in real time, so there was no doubt from day one what happened… Only an idiot would vote for this lying sack of dog poop…And even lied about it AGAIN last night… He also claimed that he has lowered my taxes 18 times, can one of you loser liberals please explain why I bring home less money now than 4 years ago, or since you believe this liar feel free to tell me what those 18 tax breaks are that we, the middle class, got?
Butter Butt
October 17th, 2012
1:46 pm
HUH is just telling the truth and ir pisses you off you idiot.
Bob
October 17th, 2012
1:47 pm
seriously, if Obama got all the things done that he said he did then why isn’t he running on those ? When has Obama brought up cash for clunkers or caulkers or the stimulus. And did you hear the reason gas was low under Bush< the slow economy ! What a joke, the economy is growing at about 1.2% now.
cc
October 17th, 2012
1:47 pm
UGA89@1:28 pm:
So, did you enjoy your one year at UGA?
Cammi317
October 17th, 2012
1:48 pm
This is sooo stupid! By stating “no acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation” he was referring to that particular act as AN ACT OF TERROR.” On the otherhand, Romney was correct that the White House incorrectly reported the actual cause of the terroristic act for 2 weeks. Some of you people just like to argue, even when there is nothing to argue about.
GT
October 17th, 2012
1:49 pm
Hell call em anything you want to, they both are doing better than anyone on this blog. If Bozo and Fatty can do it what happen to you?
Retired Soldier
October 17th, 2012
1:50 pm
Tony-
What year(s) was “after the depression” and what were their growth rates?
beekay
October 17th, 2012
1:51 pm
I thought that was John Candy with a wig the entire time…
Patty
October 17th, 2012
1:51 pm
The British newspapers in the days after the attack reported that it was a terrorist attack and not caused by a video, yet the government arrested the guy who made the video, and to my knowledge, he’s still sitting in jail. Isn’t that false imprisonment now that Obama has declared it a terrorist attack?
Me
October 17th, 2012
1:52 pm
She is from CNN, so no surprise here! As soon as I heard she was going to be the moderator I could see it coming.
boots
October 17th, 2012
1:52 pm
Who picked Meatloaf as the moderator in the first place? She had her mind on two things: helping Obama and a Big Mac,. The questions picked were straight out of the liberal media playbook (assault weapon ban, equal pay), biased in some cases (”How are you not like George Bush???”) and just silly (I want a job). The president was given more time, Romney was interrupted more, and then there was the “Libya” interjection which was a lie to cover another lie. Disgraceful performance for CNN and their moderator, Sam Kinison.
Butter Butt
October 17th, 2012
1:53 pm
Democrats are all either fat,mexican,african american,unemployed, or uneducated people.
VET
October 17th, 2012
1:53 pm
I know all this is BS the ones on here bashing the President please just say it and stop beating aroung the bush say it please that you don’t like him because he is Black period bottom line.
cc
October 17th, 2012
1:54 pm
tony@1:43 pm:
I have printed your comment, shredded the paper and will save it until Spring at which time I will use it to fertilize my newly-planted flowers. It should work even better than cow manure!
Chillout
October 17th, 2012
1:54 pm
Calm down folks, calm down……………….Georgia is a Red State, be proud that your votes will go to your candidate………………cant help if the rest of America might be Blue…………and yes America this great nation is suppose to be RED, WHITE and BLUE. All this name calling and pure hatred should stop. We need to be more worried about raising our families to be decent human beings and great citizens as oppose to all this hatred. Doing better starts at home, not the government. If you teach a child to love instead of hate, i wonder what will they grow up doing? I bet they grow up loving. We already see what teaching hate can do………….cause hate. So folks calm down breathe, relax and Vote………..then sit down and raise your families to be decent human beings and great citizens to our great nation.
Don't Tread
October 17th, 2012
1:55 pm
Next thing you know 0bama will be blaming the national debt on the existence of Youtube or Facebook.
His handling of the Libya debacle just proves he’s either lying, incompetent, or both. (Seems to be a pattern here…) Maye they should put Eric Holder in cahrge of the State Department – he has plenty of experience with lying, incompetence, and blaming subordinates for the messes he creates.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:56 pm
“you don’t like him because he is Black period bottom line.”
I don’t like his black half as much as I don’t like his white half. Does that make me a half racist?
Butter Butt
October 17th, 2012
1:56 pm
No Vet just don’t like liars and people with BIG EARS
J.B.
October 17th, 2012
1:58 pm
@ HUH????? ” In that year, he earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young and in 1975, a joint Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from Harvard.”
Not sure what Juris Doctor means in your dictionary, but you can’t get one of those except from law school. Quit showing your a$$. You’re discrediting yourself. Your name says it all.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:58 pm
“If you don’t believe this, then you don’t understand economics or the depth of the crisis.”
I understand that Bozo has spent more money than every president combined. I understand that Bozo’s stimulus packages failed, GM failed and is failing badly, Obozocare is a nightmare and he has no clue how the economy works.
Now, please refute ANY of those comments.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
1:59 pm
“Not sure what Juris Doctor means in your dictionary, but you can’t get one of those except from law school.”
Then again, Romney is not a lawyer and to my knowledge never worked in a law firm.
“Quit showing your a$$.”
Such lovely language, ma’am.
Obamacares
October 17th, 2012
2:00 pm
Why is this even a topic? There are attack plots on America that are not immediately reported to the people, that’s why we have the CIA. Republicans are reaching for whatever they can find to try and bring this President down. If unemployment was 1% and the GDP was growing 10% a year then they would find something to pry at. The republicans would say well that’s not good enough, the party is a shame.
HUH?????
October 17th, 2012
2:01 pm
“Republicans are reaching for whatever they can find to try and bring this President down. ”
Pot meet kettle. Obozo said the same thing about Bush when he ran in 2008. Geez, you left wingers are such hypocrites.