# With trepidation, Benghazi **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 2, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535 "2014-05-02T20:30:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 39
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/761 "2014-05-30T17:42:49Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > (post shortened, underline added) > > Can we then expect Obama to claim EP to cover the actions of ol’ Hillary’s ol’ State Dept. Are they all considered presidential advisers? Would the CIA operatives and assets also be considered presidential advisers? I believe you’ve stumbled on a way to end this whole inquiry by tomorrow. No, they’re not all considered presidential advisers. The White House staff is, though, and so was Hillary Clinton during the relevant time. Note that this only covers the presidential communications part of executive privilege. National security is an entirely separate part, with an entirely separate body of case law, and CIA assets are likely to be covered therein. The point is that this inquiry will never be over as long as there is political capital to be made by prolonging it. (I do predict that if the inquiry becomes overly partisan and starts doing damage to the Republican brand, the “need to know” will evaporate like dew on a hot summer morning.) ---
**Author:** ![Donald\_Rump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Donald\_Rump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donald_Rump)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/762 "2014-05-30T17:48:47Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > (I do predict that if the inquiry becomes overly partisan and starts doing damage to the Republican brand, the “need to know” will evaporate like dew on a hot summer morning.) Hehe… that’s a very small “if.” Like Yosemite Sam, the Republicans have already walked off the cliff with the Benghazi thing, only they haven’t yet looked down to realize it. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/763 "2014-05-30T17:54:38Z")
> [@Donald\_Rump](#): > > Hehe… that’s a very small “if.” Like Yosemite Sam, the Republicans have already walked off the cliff with the Benghazi thing, only they haven’t yet looked down to realize it. That’s Wile E. Coyote. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/764 "2014-05-30T18:01:24Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > You seem to have misspelled my nom de plume. Nope, it seems right to me. Your hard-on for big government is visible from the ISS. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/765 "2014-05-30T18:02:00Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Do you not have any idea how things work in Washington, D.C.? The only need there ever is for an investigation is the possibility that some politcal gain could be had from one. If you don’t understand this simple point, and why it is the only reason that investigations into Benghazi continue even now, then there’s not much point in even trying to discuss it with you. You are actually threatening not to talk to me? Be still my heart. I suspect that Cloward and Piven would be proud of you. Maybe Jay Carney will stand in for you. Looks like he’ll have some time to spare for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/766 "2014-05-30T18:23:11Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > That’s Wile E. Coyote. And they’ve painted a railroad tunnel on the side of the cliff, and they’re patiently waiting for Hillary to run into it … ---
**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:** [May 30, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/767 "2014-05-30T18:25:46Z")
Cloward and Piven are apparently the Right’s new Saul Alinsky… ---
**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:** [May 30, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/768 "2014-05-30T18:26:31Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > You are actually threatening not to talk to me? Be still my heart. I suspect that Cloward and Piven would be proud of you. > > Maybe Jay Carney will stand in for you. Looks like he’ll have some time to spare for awhile. As usual, a response that completely ignores the point someone is trying to make. But let me ask you directly: is the Select Committee that is now investigating Benhazi more about finding out the truth, or more about one party trying to gain politcally, especially with an eye toward the upcoming elections in November, and the next presidential election? What is more important to, say, Darrell Issa? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/769 "2014-05-30T18:42:27Z")
> [@Donald\_Rump](#): > > Hehe… that’s a very small “if.” Like Yosemite Sam, the Republicans have already walked off the cliff with the Benghazi thing, only they haven’t yet looked down to realize it. > [@Kobal2](#): > > That’s Wile E. Coyote. It happened to Sam, too; at least [something quite similar](http://www.supercartoons.net/cartoon/632/bugs-bunny-high-diving-hare.html). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/770 "2014-05-30T18:42:48Z")
I’d consider it an achievement if the Republicans finally learned that the facility was \*not \*an embassy, and \*was \*a CIA post. Or even if they learned where to find it on a map of the world. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/771 "2014-05-30T18:52:16Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > . . . **door** “I love big government so much that I want to take out out behind the middle school and get it pregnant” **hinge**. . . DO NOT muck around with other posters’ usernames. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/772 "2014-05-30T18:57:08Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > If that were true, there wouldn’t have been a need for an investigation. Republicans arranged for four separate Congressional “investigations” to determine whether FDR conspired in the attack on Pearl Harbor, the last one occurring after the war had ended and FDR was long dead. (I am sure that Democrats have pulled similar pranks, of course. However, the notion that an investigation was “needed” just because some politician with enough power in Congress was able to get a committee to initiate it is blatant nonsense.) ---
**Author:** ![Donald\_Rump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Donald\_Rump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donald_Rump)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/773 "2014-05-30T19:08:24Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Republicans arranged for four separate Congressional “investigations” to determine whether FDR conspired in the attack on Pearl Harbor, the last one occurring after the war had ended and FDR was long dead. Do you have a cite for that? Just curious ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/774 "2014-05-30T19:27:41Z")
> [@Donald\_Rump](#): > > Do you have a cite for that? Just curious Actually, only two Congressional investigations were carried out. (They included the usual partisan sniping, but they were intended as bi-partisan.) I was conflating them with four other calls for investigations by Republicans that did not make it to committee, but i am still looking for the source for that. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/775 "2014-05-30T19:35:30Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > You are actually threatening not to talk to me? Be still my heart. I suspect that Cloward and Piven would be proud of you. Those names are not associated with whatever meme you are thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/776 "2014-05-30T19:38:30Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Republicans arranged for four separate Congressional “investigations” to determine whether FDR conspired in the attack on Pearl Harbor, the last one occurring after the war had ended and FDR was long dead. I don’t know whether they were warranted or not, but I don’t see how either the war being over or FDR being dead should have anything to do with whether they investigate any aspect of the attack, including his preknowledge or lack thereof. If new, credible information about Pearl Harbor came to light tomorrow, I would want an investigation. No need for the blatantly partisan Fox/Issa circus for _any_ investigation, though. ---
**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:** [May 30, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/777 "2014-05-30T20:02:57Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I, me, moi, have unanswered questions that are separate from those of the Select Committee. Why is that so difficult for you to understand? (Is American-English your 2nd language?) Give me a hint, I’ll trying to help you. As our next president says, there are no unanswered questions, only unlistened to answers. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/778 "2014-05-30T20:11:24Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I suspect that Cloward and Piven would be proud of you. Aaaaand you’ve just disqualified yourself from intelligent discourse. Moreso, I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/779 "2014-05-30T20:14:25Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > It happened to Sam, too; at least [something quite similar](http://www.supercartoons.net/cartoon/632/bugs-bunny-high-diving-hare.html). See, this is what I love… and hate… it’s complicated… about the Dope. You cannot outpedant anyone, ever. There will always be someone who knows even more trivial details than you do :). ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535/780 "2014-05-30T20:29:56Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > See, this is what I love… and hate… it’s complicated… about the Dope. I know the feeling. It’s like a race you don’t want to win, but you want to lose even less. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-trepidation-benghazi/687535.md?page=40)