Benghazi: this year's September Surprise?

[Simfan34]

Will the attack in Benghazi have an effect upon the election? Romney seems to be bungling the response somewhat, but might this make a victory on his part a bit more likely?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Romney's bungling it so badly that it's just digging him in deeper.

[Yank2133]

No, Romney's response may have just sealed his fate.

Closer to McCain response to the economy in 2008 then to Reagan's response to the hostage crisis in 1980.

[Supersonic]

Romney's bungling it so badly that it's just digging him in deeper.

First time I've ever agreed with you.

Probably the last as well.

[Insula Dei]

No, Foreign Policy is the achilles heel of a campaign that's pretty much all achilles heel.

[Joe Biden is your president. Deal with it.]

Romney will not win. I just don't see him winning. he is weak I put him on the same level of Bob Dole 1996.

[Meeker]

There is no conceivable way this tragedy could become a political positive for Romney at this point. He and his campaign have not only bungled this specific incident but in doing so have fed into a narrative that he is not qualified on foreign policy matters. You can never really know until it's over what the "defining moments" are in a campaign, but this is certainly a contender. The whole thing is really quite stunning.

[DrScholl]

How would Romney's poor response lead to him winning? He's made himself look grossly unprepared to be ready on day one.

[Earthling]

The attack is bad, for everyone involved. But I doubt it will be the biggest moment in this campaign. I think the debates will have much more influence.

[Likely Voter]

Events like this naturally have a rallying around the flag effect. Romney's ill-timed (and spurious) attacks in the middle of it will only backfire, especially as he is already seen as out of his depth on FP. The fact that he doubled down today just makes it worse. 


And if they do capture and/or kill the (likely Al Queda) a-holes behind the attack, Romney is (even more) toast.

[mondale84]

Romney will not win. I just don't see him winning. he is weak I put him on the same level of Bob Dole 1996.

Romney doesn't even come close to Dole's capabilities. Dole had years of experience and was actually respected by some people.

[ill ind]

  IIRC--and I'm old enough to do so unlike 75% of those on here who pontificate like they're experts about 1980 even though they weren't born yet!!--when the Iran Hostage taking first went down, the nation rallied around President Carter.  It wasn't until the ordeal stretched out over a year and a half/ there was a bungled rescue attempt/ and a deal to have them released fell through that it became a huge political millstone around Carter's neck.

  I believe that people will rally around the President in this (and I do not see it stretching out for a year and a half) and that Romney definitely jumped the gun with his response.

Just my $.02

Ill_Ind

[Brittain33]

People know that bad stuff happens in dangerous parts of the world and aren't going to vote against Obama because something bad and tragic happened in Libya.

Even partisan Republicans would be hard-pressed to find a way that the riots and the murder of the ambassador are Obama's fault. It looks like you're just hoping that bad news somewhere translates into bad feelings into "time for a change."

I had the same hopes prior to the 2002 election about the economy (not 9/11). It just didn't work that way.

[King]

People won't even remember this by November.  Honestly, I myself had forgotten the Libyan strike had even happened until this incident.

[Mr.Phips]

Jesus, why couldnt Democrats have had the luck that Obama is having this year in 2010?

[Earthling]

A quote by Romney about the movie:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Apparently, Romney said the same thing as the Embassy said. Is he now apologizing for the United States?

[HST1948]

A quote by Romney about the movie:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Apparently, Romney said the same thing as the Embassy said. Is he now apologizing for the United States?

It wouldn't be the first time Romney has flip-flopped.

[Likely Voter]

Well the guy who made the movie is actually an Isreali (currently living in the US). So Romney is apologizing for Isrealis

[Earthling]

I am surprised that this quote isn't on NBC or CNN.

He is pretty much saying the same thing but he isn't get called on it.

[opebo]

Probably helps Romney a lot with any people who were considering the proposition 'a Morman is worse than a Muslim'.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Because in 2010 it still felt like 2008 wit the elevated unemployment. Now there is high unemployment but people can find work.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Only if this drags out into further serious violence across North Africa... an outcome which to me does not seem particularly likely.

[Link]

Will the attack in Benghazi have an effect upon the election? Romney seems to be bungling the response somewhat, but might this make a victory on his part a bit more likely?

If he's bungling it I'm not sure how you conclude this is going to help him.  By the way what he is bungling is the response to the violent murder of the US ambassador... not the opening pitch of a Red Sox game.  I'm pretty sure the poor victim's family is not looking at it as Romney "somewhat" bungling this.  They are probably looking on in shock, horror, and disgust at a cheap and shameful political ploy by a sad desperate man.

[stegosaurus]

A quote by Romney about the movie:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Apparently, Romney said the same thing as the Embassy said. Is he now apologizing for the United States?

It is possible to condemn the movie and feel that condemnation of that movie is inappropriate for an official statement regarding the violent mob that killed American citizens over said movie. I can not take seriously anyone who would suggest that we need to understand the motivations of these people or blame the goobers who made a ridiculous movie. That isn't to say that the Obama Administration believes that or that accusing them of believing that is a politically smart thing to do, but to offer any condolences to the angry mob because they were offended by some douche with a video camera is pathetic. Mitt Romney says he believes this, and I am fairly certain that Obama believes this as well.

[sentinel]

2 things

1) Can I get a timeline of what the hell happened?

2) What is the mainstream media saying about Romney's handling of this? (Sources? -- CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, NYT, WAPO, WSJ)