Timeline: Obama Admin Took 16 Hours to Disavow Embassy Apology

Timeline: Obama Admin Took 16 Hours to Disavow Embassy Apology

Here are some timelines.

How accurate are they?

Here is a partial timeline of events. All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST), 6 hours earlier than Cairo time.

5:50AM - Cairo Embassy publishes a statement on its website which rejects those who "abuse" free speech. This is a reference to an anti-Islam film, portions of which have been broadcast on TV in Arabic. The entire speech is tweeted out line by line on the Embassy account.

1:42PM - The Associated Press tweets word of an attack on the Cairo Embassy. The US flag is pulled down and replaced with a black Islamic flag.

5:28PM - Cairo Embassy tweets out three defensive comments, the last of which doubles down on the initial statement. It reads "3) Sorry, but neither breaches of our compound or angry messages will dissuade us from defending freedom of speech AND criticizing bigotry." To this point there has been no comment, tweet, or statement defending free speech, only the statement/tweet criticizing those who abuse it.

7:00-7:20PM - The Embassy puts out another tweet tripling down on their initial statement. "This morning's condemnation (issued before the protests began) still stands. As does our condemnation of unjustified breach of the Embassy." This tweet is later deleted.

8:06PM - AP reports an attack on the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya has resulted in one death and one injury.

10:09PM - The Romney camp sends out a brief statement which reads, "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. It's disgraceful that the Obama Administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks." The statement is embargoed until midnight.

10:10PM - Politico reports an unnamed Obama administration official is disavowing the statement posted on the US Embassy website, claiming it was unauthorized. No explanation is offered why the embassy was still pushing it as of 7PM.

~10:25PM - The Romney camp sends out another email ending the embargo on its statement.

10:38-10:56PM - On the State Dept. Twitter feed, Hillary condemns the attack in Libya and confirms the death of an unnamed "officer" in Libya. One of the final tweets of the night reads "#SecClinton on the attack in #Libya: Let me be clear -- there is never any justification for violent acts of this kind." However, two other tweets mixed in with her reaction to Libya reaffirm a commitment to religious tolerance and denouncing "any intentional effort to denigrate the beliefs of others."

11:40PM-11:50PM - The Cairo Embassy deletes six tweets, including the one about "abuse" of free speech, one about hurting Muslims feelings, and the one tripling down on the initial statement (7:00PM). They do not delete two unobjectionable tweets which were at the heart of the morning press release. The latter of these echoes Hillary's statement about religious tolerance. The Embassy has effectively scrubbed the offending statements while retaining a portion which the Secretary has embraced.

The article has other confirming links.

A timeline of yesterday's events shows that it took the Obama administration 16 hours to disavow a statement posted on the US Embassy in Cairo website. It appears that the administration's failure to correct the embassy and the doubling down by embassy staff 13 hours after the statement was published prompted Mitt Romney's curt comments about the administration's response.

Timeline: Obama Admin Took 16 Hours to Disavow Embassy Apology

Thats it I'm changin my vote!! I was voting for Romney but if this is all he can come up with than he is obviously going to lose. I want to be on the winning team this time!!

Thanks for tthe info!!

It's still early.
reply to post by Mike.Ockizard

When did apologizing become such a bad thing? We could always side with Mitt Romney and use the same old rhetoric that we need to work harder to stop the "terrorists" which is a pipe dream and will never be obtainable.

I don't condone what the group did, the loss of even a single life over a religious controversy is a situation riddled with arguments from both sides with nobody coming out the winner so to speak.

In fact I think it was a pretty decent thing to say that, despite the first amendment of the US, we need to stop poking fun at a religious icons. By we I do not mean the US exclusively. Its more of common courtesy anyone with religious beliefs should value, yet in respective religions around the world are taught any other religion is blasphemy and should be "destroyed" in some cases. It doesn't help anyone on either side of the issue. While the most logical outcome of defaming a religion will have disastrous consequences as some people take their religion very seriously.

Originally posted by Mike.Ockizard
Thats it I'm changin my vote!! I was voting for Romney but if this is all he can come up with than he is obviously going to lose. I want to be on the winning team this time!!

Thanks for tthe info!!

Haha Romney is 2012's Kerry. He's designed to give the election to the democrats

reply to post by xuenchen


The Obama administration took 3 1/2 years to lead this country in ANY way. Oh wait, they haven't lead at all...it's funny how the msm tried to crucify Romney for his statements, but at the time (11 hrs after the egypt incident) he was the most prominent American politician to have done so...

I was proud of my boy Lindsey Graham tho...he was on msm and he was PISSED. He was a personal friend of the Ambassadors tho..he says cut the money to the MB now....

reply to post by xuenchen


That's what happens , when the "chair" is empty.

Typical, from Obama, and this administration.

Originally posted by cconn487
When did apologizing become such a bad thing? We could always side with Mitt Romney and use the same old rhetoric that we need to work harder to stop the "terrorists" which is a pipe dream and will never be obtainable.

I don't condone what the group did, the loss of even a single life over a religious controversy is a situation riddled with arguments from both sides with nobody coming out the winner so to speak.

In fact I think it was a pretty decent thing to say that, despite the first amendment of the US, we need to stop poking fun at a religious icons. By we I do not mean the US exclusively. Its more of common courtesy anyone with religious beliefs should value, yet in respective religions around the world are taught any other religion is blasphemy and should be "destroyed" in some cases. It doesn't help anyone on either side of the issue. While the most logical outcome of defaming a religion will have disastrous consequences as some people take their religion very seriously.

I disagree. An argument over religious killing has an obvious winner before it even begins: the person who is against religious killing. What possible justification could a religious killing have? None.

Originally posted by OrphenFire

Originally posted by cconn487
When did apologizing become such a bad thing? We could always side with Mitt Romney and use the same old rhetoric that we need to work harder to stop the "terrorists" which is a pipe dream and will never be obtainable.

I don't condone what the group did, the loss of even a single life over a religious controversy is a situation riddled with arguments from both sides with nobody coming out the winner so to speak.

In fact I think it was a pretty decent thing to say that, despite the first amendment of the US, we need to stop poking fun at a religious icons. By we I do not mean the US exclusively. Its more of common courtesy anyone with religious beliefs should value, yet in respective religions around the world are taught any other religion is blasphemy and should be "destroyed" in some cases. It doesn't help anyone on either side of the issue. While the most logical outcome of defaming a religion will have disastrous consequences as some people take their religion very seriously.

I disagree. An argument over religious killing has an obvious winner before it even begins: the person who is against religious killing. What possible justification could a religious killing have? None.

Oh believe me I'm with you. I know I haven't ever seen a witch or a demon, yet people were burned and drowned "in the name of God" not that long ago in our history.

Until religions around the world reevaluate what the core of their faith is, I don't see the killing in the name of a god being reduced anytime soon.

Originally posted by xGuitarPlayerx
reply to post by xuenchen

 

The Obama administration took 3 1/2 years to lead this country in ANY way. Oh wait, they haven't lead at all...it's funny how the msm tried to crucify Romney for his statements, but at the time (11 hrs after the egypt incident) he was the most prominent American politician to have done so...

I was proud of my boy Lindsey Graham tho...he was on msm and he was PISSED. He was a personal friend of the Ambassadors tho..he says cut the money to the MB now....

but Obama does lead.

or is he led.

or maybe he IS Lead (as in lead pipes)

The entire administration is lackadaisical.

I've seen too much politics, always ending up the same. They are all politicians. Every time something like this happens, the opposing political party trolls on by saying...WE MUST CONDEMN THIS, BLAH BLAH BLAH.

I actually give Romney some BALLS, he didn't use the old...We're all in this together crap.

Call me another Romney. I was furious with the apology statement made by the embassy, not because it was wrong in what it said, but it was said at the wrong time.

My response was (posted on ATS) "Get Off Our Property Now!" Wouldn't you say the same if someone did this to your house? Destruction of property is not acceptable and Obama should have denounced it immediately. THEY TRASHED OUR EMBASSY and BURNED OUR FLAG.

So Obozo disavows that statement and peeves the Egyptian Brotherhood who are seriously offended by this movie. Now they demand he apologize and arrest the movie producer.

So every protest from 9//11 to the Lord knows when about this movie could possibility have been averted. I blame Obama for doing nothing instead of taking decisive action to quell the violence.

1)He should have announced that the U.S. government did not create the movie or condone it.
2) He should have noted the wrongness of destroying our property for something we had no hand in.
3) He should have immediately condemned the takeover of the embassy and warning of potential military intervention should such activity occur again.

Friday, Egypt plans a million man march protest. I have to wonder will our people be safe, maybe the Marines should be going to Egypt to protect our embassy staff there instead of Libya.

Romney did nothing wrong, He spoke the truth, He stood up for America. Yet the MSM spins it to make him look bad. I would have done nothing different. No news from the Whitehouse had me wondering if Obama went into hiding. You buy into there game you get there candidate, Obama.

People really need to think for themselves and quit drinking the MSM kool aid.

How the media turned Obama's foreign policy bungle into a Romney gaffe
washingtonexaminer.com...

You want the MSM candidate to win? You think they have your best interests are heart? Can't you see through the charade? I can't even stand to watch these people. They have the body language of hungry wolves.

Press Coordinates Question to Ask Romney
www.weeklystandard.com...

“[N]o matter who he calls on we’re covered on the one question,” an unidentified journalist says.

The press plays dirty pool, to set Romney up for a fall.

Nothing wrong with standing up for what you believe and being decisive. Obama's reaction was more of, "Lets see what the damage is, make a statement then head to Las Vegas for more campaigning."

reply to post by sad_eyed_lady


Good Post

I think all the "responses" from the current administration are grade school level at best.

Originally posted by Mike.Ockizard
Thats it I'm changin my vote!! I was voting for Romney but if this is all he can come up with than he is obviously going to lose. I want to be on the winning team this time!!

Thanks for tthe info!!

So you think a lot of those voting for Obama in 2008 feel like winners today? Seriously if what you care about is "winning", please do not ever vote.

Originally posted by cconn487
When did apologizing become such a bad thing? We could always side with Mitt Romney and use the same old rhetoric that we need to work harder to stop the "terrorists" which is a pipe dream and will never be obtainable.

I don't condone what the group did, the loss of even a single life over a religious controversy is a situation riddled with arguments from both sides with nobody coming out the winner so to speak.

In fact I think it was a pretty decent thing to say that, despite the first amendment of the US, we need to stop poking fun at a religious icons. By we I do not mean the US exclusively. Its more of common courtesy anyone with religious beliefs should value, yet in respective religions around the world are taught any other religion is blasphemy and should be "destroyed" in some cases. It doesn't help anyone on either side of the issue. While the most logical outcome of defaming a religion will have disastrous consequences as some people take their religion very seriously.

You can denounce the message while affirming their right to say it. You can teach that words and beliefs are held by individuals, and so long as they do not interfere with anothers persons rights Government has no right to intrude. Distance yourself from the message, not the freedom to say it. It was an opportunity to show them the way to a freer society, instead we kowtowed to their feelings.

... I dont think Obama's done WRONG here, the attack lasted 4hrs back and forth... it was in the middle of the night.. and its not like there's Americans in the neighborhood who can give a quick update.. I imagine they probably sent a drone but it took a number of hours itself.. and jumping on prime time tv to declare ''an embassy’s been attacked, there are fatalities and we are gathering information'' creates a very brittle tinderbox! Maybe it would have rallied others in further neighborhoods.. to check it out.

but.. yeah ok he should of said something at least... but twitter? c'mon really to Romney and everyone else, is Twitter really the way we want to be doing this?

I'm interested to know how Romney had precise information 2hrs after it started.. when the first two hours had the base being over run and occupied (a heavy firefight).. the handlers.... .errrrr, the ambassadors! corpse was being carried to a hospital and the soldiers had yet to retake the consulate.. after 2hrs how did he know 1 worker had been killed?

Obama failed...more embassy attacks going on now.

Originally posted by Agit8dChop
... I dont think Obama's done WRONG here, the attack lasted 4hrs back and forth... it was in the middle of the night.. and its not like there's Americans in the neighborhood who can give a quick update.. I imagine they probably sent a drone but it took a number of hours itself.. and jumping on prime time tv to declare ''an embassy’s been attacked, there are fatalities and we are gathering information'' creates a very brittle tinderbox! Maybe it would have rallied others in further neighborhoods.. to check it out.

but.. yeah ok he should of said something at least... but twitter? c'mon really to Romney and everyone else, is Twitter really the way we want to be doing this?

I'm interested to know how Romney had precise information 2hrs after it started.. when the first two hours had the base being over run and occupied (a heavy firefight).. the handlers.... .errrrr, the ambassadors! corpse was being carried to a hospital and the soldiers had yet to retake the consulate.. after 2hrs how did he know 1 worker had been killed?

I dont think he failed.. i mean he never had a chance...

look at the what the arab spring did, governments that were bred and interwoven into society were run out of town with their tails between their legs.

How long before all the arab nations in the middle east realize.. the US embassies are small takings compared to governments.. rally enough people and all the US and UK's embassies could fall.

Question is, how many embassy’s being ransacked would it take for you to launch military attacks against the locals?

And.....

en.wikipedia.org...

President Bush signed a $10.5 billion relief package within four days of the hurricane

Well.. 4 days to respond compared to... half a day.

Thanks OP for showing us just how much faster the Obama administration reacted to this incident, compared to Bush's administration's response to Katrina.

I'll look forward to your next gripe about Obama, and then compare it to the previous moron that ran the country for 8 years, and did the same thing - only twice as bad.

Some people can't distinguish events that are acts of GOD vs. Man-ifested events.

Originally posted by Evil_Santa
And.....

en.wikipedia.org...

President Bush signed a $10.5 billion relief package within four days of the hurricane

Well.. 4 days to respond compared to... half a day.

Thanks OP for showing us just how much faster the Obama administration reacted to this incident, compared to Bush's administration's response to Katrina.

I'll look forward to your next gripe about Obama, and then compare it to the previous moron that ran the country for 8 years, and did the same thing - only twice as bad.