CBS Sept 12: Obama: “There are folks involved in this who were looking to target Americans from the start

CBS News releases a clip of an interview by Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes on September 12 with President Obama that indicates Obama knew the assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya was a premeditated terror attack. CBS chose not to broadcast the clip for over a month, instead airing a portion of the clip that contained Obama’s attack on Romney that same night. However, the clip and quote were available online.

Obama told Kroft that the attack in Benghazi was different from the violent protest at the U.S. embassy in Cairo: “You’re right that this is not a situation that was exactly the same as what happened in Egypt, and my suspicion is, is that there are folks involved in this who were looking to target Americans from the start.”[1. CBS News – Obama suspects Libya attack targeted Americans http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7421538n]

Fox News notes that on one hand, the comment lines up with the president’s Rose Garden remarks that day, when he referred to “acts of terror.” However, it also sharply conflicts with what U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice would go on to say four days later on a round of Sunday talk shows, in which she claimed the protest in Cairo helped trigger the “spontaneous” attack in Benghazi.[2. Fox News – Interview shows Obama downplayed mob violence explanation day after Libya attack http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/24/interview-shows-obama-downplayed-mob-violence-explanation-day-after-libya/]