# Why hasn't the Benghazi attack created sympathy for Obama? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 19, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223 "2012-10-19T13:54:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/1 "2012-10-19T13:54:41Z")
Conventional wisdom is that a foreign attack on the US creates a patriotic groundswell for the incumbent president, regardless of party, because Americans supposedly put country before party to support the President of the United States in our time of need, bbbyyy–so how come the attack on Benghazi is being attributed to Romney’s recent surge? Or am I wrong–it’s only Republican presidents who benefit from the US getting attacked abroad? ---
**Author:** ![G-SE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@G-SE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G-SE)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/2 "2012-10-19T14:46:17Z")
Well, if he hadn’t spent two weeks trying to convince the American people that it was something that it wasn’t, and then referred to it with such harsh words as “a bump in the road” and “not optimal”, what do you expect? Maybe because the proper reaction to a terrorist attack is not to apologize to the attackers for offending them. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/3 "2012-10-19T15:10:43Z")
I see the Republican propaganda machine has worked in at least one case. You see, Obama didn’t say the Magic Words. The Magic Words can only be said by a Republican president. ---
**Author:** ![Curious\_Mike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Curious\_Mike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curious_Mike)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/4 "2012-10-19T15:13:07Z")
Don’t forget that those diplomats in Libya asked for additional security and were ignored by State. In all likelihood this tragedy could have been prevented by the presence of more security. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/5 "2012-10-19T15:15:08Z")
> [@Curious\_Mike](#): > > Don’t forget that those diplomats in Libya asked for additional security and were ignored by State. In all likelihood this tragedy could have been prevented by the presence of more security. More being what? A brigade of Marines? Embassy security is primarily the responsibility of the host nation. We cannot prevent angry mobs from overruning embassies or consulates. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/6 "2012-10-19T15:16:48Z")
Instead of a speech in the Rose garden where Obama said: > [@](#): > > 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. He SHOULD have put on a flight jacket, flown to an aircraft carrier and said: > [@](#): > > I’m outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi. I condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, and do not sympathize with those who waged the attacks. ” And then he should have declared war on Iran. This would have made him a hero in the eyes of Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/7 "2012-10-19T15:27:38Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > You see, Obama didn’t say the Magic Words. The Magic Words can only be said by a Republican president. The tongue of a Kohm would burn with fire if he dared attempt to say the holy words. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/8 "2012-10-19T15:35:28Z")
This appears to be this election cycle’s version of Swiftboating. Lie hard, lie fast, lie constantly, and maybe you can get people to either believe you or at least be neutral on something that might otherwise have boosted the other side. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/9 "2012-10-19T15:40:25Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I see the Republican propaganda machine has worked in at least one case. I was going to weigh in myself until I read this. What more needs to be said? In any case, I guess “Not Optimal” will now overtake “Acts of Terror” in the pointless-discussion-of-the-moment foolishness. I suffered through the latter in another thread. It would be a refreshing change if those who respond in this one actually have something of relevance to say to the OP. As for me, I suppose in times past the “patriotic groundswells” were the norm, but it’s obvious that those days are long gone in American politics. 9/11 was of course the much greater tragedy, but the contrast between the behavior of the left and right during that crisis and the present one is still striking. Make of that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/10 "2012-10-19T15:47:19Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Conventional wisdom is that a foreign attack on the US creates a patriotic groundswell for the incumbent president, regardless of party, because Americans supposedly put country before party to support the President of the United States in our time of need, bbbyyy–so how come the attack on Benghazi is being attributed to Romney’s recent surge? > > Or am I wrong–it’s only Republican presidents who benefit from the US getting attacked abroad? You mean like the groundswell of sympathy for Jimmy Carter when the US Embassy in Teheran was attacked and hostages taken? Presidents get the sympathy the public thunk they deserve. Clearly in Obama’s case that isn’t a great deal. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/11 "2012-10-19T16:00:00Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Conventional wisdom is that a foreign attack on the US creates a patriotic groundswell for the incumbent president, regardless of party, because Americans supposedly put country before party to support the President of the United States in our time of need, bbbyyy–so how come the attack on Benghazi is being attributed to Romney’s recent surge? > > Or am I wrong–it’s only Republican presidents who benefit from the US getting attacked abroad? It’s not that republicans are the only ones who can benefit from a situation like this, it’s that they’ve got a very aggressive PR campaign designed around keeping democrats from benefiting. Look at how much hay they’re getting out of insisting that Obama didn’t call it terrorism, when: 1. He did. 2. Romney jumped the gun and claimed that Obama “apologized” to the jerks who did it. 3. We really don’t want, or need, a president who jumps to conclusion before all the facts are in. 4. Calling it terrorism, or not, doesn’t help the situation in any way. It’s pretty ridiculous that this is as big a story as it is. It’s pretty clear that the republican spin machine is frantically doing everything it can to convince voters that Obama’s “soft on terror” ([SUB]please ignore Bin Laden’s death[/SUB]). I’m frankly sickened that republican voters are allowing themselves to be manipulated so shamefully. ---
**Author:** ![G-SE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@G-SE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G-SE)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/12 "2012-10-19T16:08:56Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > It’s pretty ridiculous that this is as big a story as it is. It’s pretty ridiculous that you and others don’t find a terrorist attack on a consulate that results in the death of an ambassador a big story. Yeah, I know we should devote much more time to Mitt’s “binder” but come on… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/13 "2012-10-19T16:14:17Z")
> [@G-SE](#): > > It’s pretty ridiculous that you and others don’t find a terrorist attack on a consulate that results in the death of an ambassador a big story. > > Yeah, I know we should devote much more time to Mitt’s “binder” but come on… :rolleyes: :rolleyes: right back atcha. I didn’t say the \*attack \*wasn’t a big deal, I said _the right-wing insistence that the President didn’t say the magic words_ shouldn’t be a big deal. And it shouldn’t be. The only reason it is is because the republican party didn’t have another stick to hit him with. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/14 "2012-10-19T16:56:34Z")
The request for Embassy Security was not ignored, it was denied. Of course hindsight is 20/20 but when you are trying to deal with a restricted security budget and a policy that tries to use local resources as much as possible, yeah it can seem pretty cut and dried what should have happened to folks who don’t have to make those decision everyday. Let’snot forget that the fact the security was requested for the embassy which would have meant fuck-all for the consulate in Benghazi. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/15 "2012-10-19T18:07:08Z")
The requested security was for Tripoli! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/16 "2012-10-20T02:34:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Why hasn’t the Benghazi attack created sympathy for Obama? Because roughly half the country is now insane. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/17 "2012-10-20T04:34:14Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > …so how come the attack on Benghazi is being attributed to Romney’s recent surge? It’s not. Obama’s terrible performance in debate #1 is being attributed to Romney’s recent surge. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/18 "2012-10-20T04:57:10Z")
I also think the OP is a little off pace. Americans usually rally to the President during a war. But not during a terrorist attack. Yes, Bush got a major support after 9/11 but that was really an outlier in terms of terrorist attacks. As I recall, Carter didn’t get any bump in support after the Tehran hostage taking, Reagan didn’t get any bump in support after the Lebanon attacks, and Clinton didn’t get any bump in support after the Cole or Nairobi attacks. The more common response to a terrorist attack is shock and then people asking why it wasn’t prevented. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/19 "2012-10-20T05:39:14Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I also think the OP is a little off pace. Americans usually rally to the President during a war. But not during a terrorist attack. > > Yes, Bush got a major support after 9/11 but that was really an outlier in terms of terrorist attacks. As I recall, Carter didn’t get any bump in support after the Tehran hostage taking, Reagan didn’t get any bump in support after the Lebanon attacks, and Clinton didn’t get any bump in support after the Cole or Nairobi attacks. > > The more common response to a terrorist attack is shock and then people asking why it wasn’t prevented. Maybe so, though we have a few more to explore and quantify here (WTC I in 1993, for example) before I accept your flat assertion that wars do good for a President’s approval while attacks do harm. What the OP says, however, is that “attacks do good” is certainly the conventional wisdom. All I heard about from the right was that Obama would create some kind of October surprise phony foreign crisis to bolster his approval. So Benghazi came along–and his approval sank. ---
**Author:** ![aag3981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@aag3981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aag3981)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223/20 "2012-10-20T14:06:42Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > The requested security was for Tripoli! Really? Where did you hear this and why isn’t it being said by Obama? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-benghazi-attack-created-sympathy-for-obama/638223.md?page=2)