Obama Hits Back at GOP Criticism of Susan Rice: 'When They Go After the UN Ambassador - Because They Think She's an Easy Target - Then They've Got a Problem With Me'
President Obama took aim at Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham today at his White House news conference. In recent days, some reports have speculated that Obama will pick U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to succeed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.
Rice made headlines after the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi by going on several Sunday talk shows and blaming an anti-Islam video for the situation.
Her account turned out to be false, with the White House later admitting it was a planned terror attack on the U.S. Consulate.
Earlier today at a news conference on the Benghazi investigation, McCain and Graham said they would oppose that nomination if it is made by Obama.
Graham said he is "dead set on making sure we don’t promote anybody that was an essential player in the Benghazi debacle," and even said that he doesn't trust Rice.
Obama was asked about their statements, and strongly rejected the idea that Rice has done anything wrong, praising the job she has done as U.N. Ambassador. He chastised Republicans for picking on an "easy target." He said that Republicans "won't get any debate" from him on the need to provide a full account of what happened in Benghazi.
“If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me. … But when they go after the U.N. Ambassador – apparently because they think she’s an easy target – then they’ve got a problem with me,” Obama said.
