Tommy Vietor on Benghazi: ‘Dude, this was like two years ago’
The former White House national security spokesman Tommy Vietor respond to Bret Baier’s questions about the newly released Benghazi emails shocking critics with a “childish” response.
On Thursday’s edition of Fox News’ Special Report, Baier asked Vietor about the role he played in altering the talking points following the September 2012 terrorist attack that killed four Americans. The former spokesman, who apparently had no good answer to the question, flippantly responded: “Dude, this was like two years ago.”
The emails released by Judicial Watch on Tuesday reveals what appears to be a coordinated effort to portray the Benghazi terror attacks as the result of a YouTube video in order to minimize the political fallout and protect President Obama ahead of the November 2012 presidential election.
The White House has claimed the information in the emails mean nothing.
Baier asked Vietor why it took Judicial Watch 18 months to obtain the documents. While Vietor again had no real answer for the question, he did reiterate the emails don’t reveal any new information.
Full transcript below, including Baier responding with a “Dude” reference of his own.
BRET BAIER, HOST: You’re a communications expert. If you’re prepping an official for a Sunday show, you’re probably going to prep on the biggest question of the Sunday show.
TOMMY VIETOR: Yes.
BAIER: Which probably, maybe, would have been the U.S. ambassador and three others who died.
VIETOR: That’s fair. And I was among people who prepped Susan Rice. And we talked about, you know — the protests were front and center in Ben [Rhodes]’s e-mail because there was still concern about additional violence in the region.
BAIER: Let’s go to the talking points.
VIETOR: It was and there were Friday prayers in a number of countries like Pakistan and we were extremely worried.
BAIER: The 14th is the day you’re talking about.
VIETOR: Yes.
BRET BAIER: According to the e-mails and the time line, the CIA circulates new talking points after they’ve removed the mention of al Qaeda and then at 6:21 the White House, you, add a line about the administration warning on September 10th of social media reports calling for demonstrations. True?
TOMMY VIETOR: I believe so.
BAIER: Did you also change attacks to demonstrations in the talking points?
VIETOR: Maybe. I don’t really remember.
BAIER: You don’t remember?
VIETOR: Dude, this was two years ago. We’re still talking about the most mundane thing.
BAIER: Dude, it’s what everybody is talking about.
VIETOR: We’re talking about the process of editing talking points. That’s what bureaucrats do all day long. Your producers edit scripts multiple times.
