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U.S. Ambassador To Libya Killed; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Rmarks on Libya Attack; Romney Statement On Libya Attack; President Barack Obama's remarks on Libya Attack
Aired September 12, 2012 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: Chris Stevens fell in love with the Middle East as a young peace corps volunteer teaching English in Morocco. He joined the Foreign Service, learned languages, won friends for America in distant places and made other people's hopes his own.
In the early days of the Libyan revolution, I asked Chris to be our envoy to the rebel opposition. He arrived on a cargo ship in the port of Benghazi and began building our relationships with Libya's revolutionaries.
He risked his life to stop a tyrant then gave his life trying to help build a better Libya. The world needs more Chris Stevens. I spoke with his sister, Ann, this morning and told her that he will be remembered as a hero by many nations.
Shawn Smith was an Air Force veteran. He spent 10 years as an information management officer in the State Department. He was posted at The Hague and was in Libya on a brief temporary assignment.
He was a husband to his wife, Heather, with whom I spoke this morning. He was a father to two young children, Samantha and Nathan. They will grow up being proud of the service their father gave to our country, service that took him to Baghdad and finally to Benghazi.
The mission that drew Chris and Shawn and their colleagues to Libya is both noble and necessary. And we and the people of Libya honor their memory by carrying it forward. This is not easy. Today, many Americans are asking, indeed, I asked myself, how could this happen?
How could this happen in a country we helped liberate in a city we helped save from destruction? This question reflects just how complicated and at times how confounding the world can be. But we must be clear eyed even in our grief.
This was an attack by a small and salvage group. Not the government or people of Libya. Everywhere Chris and his team went in Libya in a country scarred by war and tyranny, they were hailed as friends and partners.
And when the attack came yesterday, Libyans stood and fought to defend our post. Some were wounded. Libyans carried Chris's body to the hospital and they helped rescue and lead other Americans to safety. And last night when I spoke with the president of Libya, he strongly condemned the violence and pledged every effort to protect our people and pursue those responsible. The friendship between our countries born out of shared struggle will not be another casualty of this attack.
A free and stable Libya is still in America's interest and security. And we will not turn our back on that. Nor will we rest until those responsible for these attacks are found and brought to justice.
We are working closely with the Libyan authorities to move swiftly and surely. We are also working with partners around the world to safeguard other American embassies, consulates and citizens.
There will be more time later to reflect, but today we have work to do. There is no higher priority than protecting our men and women wherever they serve. We are working to determine the precise motivations and methods of those who carried out this assault.
Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior along with the protest that took place at our embassy in Cairo yesterday as a response to inflammatory material posted on the internet.
America's commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation, but let me be clear. There is no justification for this, none. Violence like this is no way to honor religion or faith.
And as long as there are those who would take innocent life in the name of God, the world will never know a true and lasting peace. It is especially difficult that this happened on September 11th. It's an anniversary that means a great deal to all Americans, every year on that day, we are reminded that our work is not yet finished.
That the job of putting an end to violent extremism and building a safe and stable world continues. But September 11th means even more than that. It is a day on which we remember thousands of American heroes.
The bonds that connect all Americans wherever we are on this earth and the values that se us through every storm, and now it is a day on which we will remember Sean, Chris and their colleagues.
May God bless them and may God bless the thousands of Americans working in every corner of the world who make this country the greatest force for peace, prosperity and progress.
And a force that has always stood for human dignity, the greatest force the world has ever known. And may God continue to bless the United States of America. Thank you.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talking about the attacks in Benghazi, Libya, the attacks that cost the life of an American ambassador, Ambassador Stevens.
Let's head back to Washington and check in with Elise Labott. The thing that struck me about Secretary Clinton's speech, she said that this Libyan attack, the attack in Benghazi, was the work of a small and savage group, not the government or people of Libya. What was she trying to get across there?
ELISE LABOTT, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER: Well, what she is trying to get across, Carol, is what the U.S. has been talking about and fearing in this whole Arab spring, is that basically even as the country and the countries elect many from Islamic parties and also people that are Muslim and religious.
These extremists are trying to hijack these Arab revolutions and so we saw it in Libya. There's a lot of concern that's happening in Egypt and what she is trying to say is the U.S. will always stand on the side of those Libyans, those Egyptians, those of whatever country you want to name.
If they're going to fight for the democratic values that they said that they were fighting for when they overthrew the dictators. The U.S. stood by, stood by these protesters, stood by these social movements, these youth as they tried to overthrow the dictators for a better life.
And that's the life that Chris Stevens, that others are trying to help give them. And what she is trying to say is there are some groups in Libya, in other countries trying to hijack this, extremism. We have seen it. Libya is still not a stable country yet.
It's on the way, but it's still not stable and the question is, are these governments able to secure the country from these extremist groups clearly operating in areas of chaos where the government, where the security services are not fully formed to hijack and make these types of attacks.
Seeing it in Egypt, too, as we saw the embassy yesterday. Does the U.S. feel that the government of Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood was responsible for this attack? No. They don't.
They're -- the U.S. is going to continue to work with these governments, with these people, but they also have to have a responsibility to make sure that these groups do not hijack the entire democratic process as they keep moving forward.
COSTELLO: Elise Labott reporting live from Washington for us, thanks so much.
We want to head out to Jacksonville, Florida, check in with the producer on the scene there, Rachel Streitfeld. Governor Romney was supposed to make a statement in person, but then suddenly changed his mind. Why?
RACHEL STREITFELD, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER (via telephone): Well, Carol, actually, he's just pulled up on site. His motorcade has just arrived and what we have seen, we have watched. He was planning to have an event here with supporters and we've watched that turned from a rally type of atmosphere to more a solemn atmosphere. They took down streamers that would have been behind him and put up curtains and flags. Now we are waiting for Governor Romney to come in and make a statement to the press about the situation in Libya.
And then we're expecting for them to bring the reporters back in, the supporters and brought in and for Romney to hold the event, campaign event just as was planned this morning.
COSTELLO: OK, just so I'm clear because, of course, we have been getting changing information all morning long. The governor will make this short statement on the situation in Libya in Egypt in person?
STREITFELD: Yes.
COSTELLO: Alone in a room?
STREITFELD: Right. We do have something to show. Right now, we're seeing a blue curtain. More American flags and there's a podium. Romney will come in. We're expecting him momentarily. He's outside the site.
So he will come in. He will make the statement and then going to reset the room. Bring the reporters who are waiting outside back in so that they can hear from the governor, as well. First, we'll hear him make a statement on the Middle East and the issues.
COSTELLO: Any idea what that statement might entail?
STREITFELD: All I can tell you right now, Carol, is there's controversy over the statement that the Romney campaign released last night. Romney said that he was outraged by the attacks on the diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and that this was -- before the deaths of the ambassadors and other three, the three deaths.
And the statement he had some heated words for President Obama. He said disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response is not to condemn the attacks on the missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.
And in reference to the statement that was put out by the U.S. Embassy in Egypt talking about the video that was released that was targeting Islam. So again, that state of mind calling -- where he called the response disgraceful before learning of the death of the ambassador.
COSTELLO: Right. Just to be clear, Governor Romney didn't change his mind about making the statement. He just thought it would be more appropriate in a more subdued setting.
STREITFELD: Right. I mean, that's certainly what we have seen here happen here. They have turned it in to a more somber event learning the news coming out.
COSTELLO: All right, Rachel, thank you so much for being with us. And of course, when Governor Romney is behind the podium, we'll go back to Jacksonville live. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be back with more. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: OK, we have been talking all morning about this terrible attack in Benghazi, Libya, on the American Consulate Building there. U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens died in an attack on his car. Two other Americans also died.
Hillary Clinton has identified one. But the other two, they're still -- they still have to notify the family and can't pass along the names.
We want to head out to Libya now to check in with our correspondent there. Jomana Karadshe, is it calm there now?
JOMANA KARADSHE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The situation here, Carol, in the Libyan capital, in Tripoli is normal. Driving around the --
COSTELLO: Jomana, I apologize, Governor Romney has just in Jacksonville, Florida. Let's listen.
(BEGIN LIVE FEED)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- individuals who have served in our diplomatic corps were brutally murdered across the world. This attack on American individuals and embassies is outrageous, it's disgusting.
It breaks the hearts of all of us who think of these people who have served during their lives, the cause of freedom and justice and honor. We mourn their loss and join together in prayer that the spirit of the almighty might comfort the families of those who have been so brutally slain.
Four diplomats lost their life including the U.S. ambassador Jay Christopher Stevens in the attack on our embassy at Benghazi, Libya and of course, I extend my condolences to the grieving loved ones who have left behind as a result of these who have lost their lives in the service of our nation.
And I know that the people across America are grateful for their service and we mourn their sacrifice. America will not tolerate attacks against our citizens and against our embassies. We'll defend, also, our constitutional rights of speech and assembly and religion.
We have confidence in our cause in America. We respect our constitution. We stand for the principles our constitution protects. We encourage other nations to understand and respect the principles of our constitution because we recognize that these principles are the ultimate source of freedom for individuals around the world.
I also believe the administration was wrong to stand by a statement sympathizing with those who had breached our embassy in Egypt instead of condemning their actions. It's never too early for the United States government to condemn attacks on Americans and to defend our values. The White House distanced itself last night from the statement saying it wasn't cleared by Washington. That reflects the mixed signals they're sending to the world. The attacks in Libya and Egypt underscore that the world remains a dangerous place and that American leadership is still sorely needed.
In the face of this violence, America cannot shrink from the responsibility to lead. American leadership is necessary to ensure that events in the region don't spin out of control. We cannot hesitate to use our influence in the region, to support those who share our values and our interests.
Over the last several years, we have stood witness to an Arab spring that presents an opportunity for a more peaceful and prosperous region. But also, poses the potential for peril if the forces of extremism and violence are allowed to control the course of events.
We must strive to ensure that the Arab spring does not become an Arab winter. With that, I'm happy to take any questions you may have. Steve?
The embassy in Cairo put out a statement after their grounds had been breached, protesters were inside the grounds. They reiterated that statement after the breach. I think it's a -- a terrible course for America to stand in apology for our values.
That instead when our grounds are being attacked, and being breached, that the first response to the United States must be outrage at the breach of the sovereignty of our nation and apology for America's values is never the right course.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor Romney, do you think, though, coming so soon after the events really had unfolded overnight was appropriate, to be weighing in on this as the crisis is unfolding in real time?
ROMNEY: The White House also issued a statement said they were not reflecting of their views. The views were inappropriate. They were the wrong course to take. When our embassy is -- has been breached by protesters. The first response should not be to say, yes, we stand by our comments that suggest that there's something wrong with the right of free speech.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did the White House do wrong then, Governor Romney, if they put out a --
ROMNEY: It's their administration. Their administration spoke. The president takes responsibility not just for the words coming from his mouth, but also from the words of his ambassador's, from his administration, from his embassies, from his State Department.
They clearly sent mixed messages to the world and the statement of the administration and the embassy is the administration. The statement that came from the administration was a statement, which is akin to apology and I think was a severe miscalculation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor, some are -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- mixed signals -- Washington -- mixed signal which you criticized the administration as --
ROMNEY: We have a campaign for presidency of the United States and speaking about the different courses we would each take with regards to the challenges that the world faces. We have differences of opinion.
With regard to Israel and policies there, with regards to Iran, Afghanistan, with regards to Syria, we have many places of distinction and differences. We join together in the condemnation of the attacks on American embassies and the loss of American life and join in the sympathy for these people.
But it's also important for me just as it was for the White House last night by the way to say that the statements were inappropriate and in my view a disgraceful statement on the part of our administration to apologize for American values.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some said you jumped the gun with that statement last night and should have waited until more details were available. Do you regret having the statement come out?
ROMNEY: I don't think we ever hesitate when we see something, which is a violation of our principles. We express immediately when we feel that the president and his administration have done something, which is inconsistent with the principles of America.
Simply put, having an embassy which is -- has been breached and has protesters on its grounds, having violated the sovereignty of the United States, having that embassy reiterate a statement effectively apologizing for the right of free speech is not the right course for an administration.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you had known last night that the ambassador had died --
ROMNEY: Well, that came later.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right. If you had known that the ambassador had died --
ROMNEY: I'm not going to take hypotheticals of what would have been known when. We responded last night the events that happened in Egypt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor, (inaudible) can you talk about why specifically you're better qualified than President Obama?
ROMNEY: I think President Obama has demonstrated a lack of clarity as to a foreign policy. My foreign policy has three fundamental branches, first, confidence in our cause, a recognition that the principles America was based upon are not something we shrink from or apologize for.
We stand for those principles. The second is clarity in our purpose, which is that when we have a foreign policy objective we describe it honestly and clearly to the American people, to Congress and to the people of the world.
And number three is resolve in our might. That in those rare circumstances those rare circumstances where we decide it's essential for us to apply military might we do so with overwhelming force, that we do so in the clarity of a mission, understanding the nature of the U.S. interest involved, understanding when the mission would be complete.
What would be left when it is -- what will be left behind us when that mission has been terminated, these elements I believe are essential to our foreign policy and I haven't seen them from the president.
As I've watched over the past three and a half years, the president has had some successes. He's had some failures. It's a hit or miss approach but it's not been based upon sound foreign policy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Romney -- how specifically, Governor Romney, would President Obama have handled this situation differently than President Obama? How would you have handled this differently than President Obama?
ROMNEY: I spoke out when the key fact I referred to was known which was that the embassy of the United States issued what appeared to be an apology for American principles. That was a mistake and I believe that when a mistake is made of that significance you speak out. Thank you.
(END LIVE FEED)
COSTELLO: All right, Mitt Romney, some tough words. He's not backing down at all. I want to read you the initial statement released by the Embassy of the United States. This is what Mitt Romney was talking about.
This is what he was talking about when he said that the Obama administration was issuing an apology for American policy. The White House, of course, said the Embassy of the United States put this out. Not the White House, but I'm going to read you the statement in question.
The Embassy of the United states in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions.
And then Romney responded to that statement last night by saying, 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 the attacks on our diplomatic missions but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.
As you know, Secretary of State Clinton spoke about 40 minutes ago and she had much tougher words than was indicated in that statement by the Embassy of the United States in Cairo. Let's listen to what she had to say about the attackers in Benghazi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: It is an attack that should shock the conscience of people of all faiths around the world. We condemn in the strongest terms this senseless act of violence and we send our prayers to the families, friends and colleagues of those we've lost. This was an attack by a small and savage group, not the people or government of Libya.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: OK, now keep in mind that Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama will be making another statement on what happened at these embassies and consulate buildings in Libya and Egypt in just about 15 minutes at least we think so.
Sometimes the things run late, but that's coming your way soon. Rachel Streitfeld is on the phone right now. She's our CNN political producer. She embedded with Governor Romney in Jacksonville. Give us your thoughts on what Governor Romney said, Rachel.
STREITFELD (via telephone): Well, we heard a few things from Governor Romney, first of all, of course, he expressed the grief of the deaths and his sympathy for the families of those affect and opening distance between him and President Obama on foreign policy.
He criticized Obama for that statement that the U.S. Embassy in Egypt put out saying that -- saying that even though the Obama administration's tried to distance itself from that statement that Obama was still the president.
And so he was still in charge and should take the blame for things that Romney said left to defend people who were attacking the embassy and instead of defending the American value of religious tolerance, religious freedom.
That's what Romney said. He took questions of reporters of whether it was appropriate to issue that statement criticizing President Obama while events were still unfolding, but Romney stood by what he said.
He said even though Obama may have distanced himself, the White House may have distanced themselves they're at the top and so still are responsible in some way.
COSTELLO: I did notice asked the question what would you have done differently, if you had been President Obama, do you think he answered that question?
STREITFELD: Well, Carol, we heard him say that President Obama has not been clear on his foreign policy. And Romney says that he will be clear and less hesitant to use resolve in our might and that his two of the focuses on the clarity of purpose of Americans abroad.
COSTELLO: So he didn't quite answer the question. Rachel Streitfeld, thank you so much for reporting live for us. Another reminder, in just about 10 or 15 minutes we do expect President Obama along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to make some sort of statement about the events in Libya and Egypt.
Right now, we want to head to New York City now and check in with Christiane Amanpour. Christiane you've been everywhere. You know a lot about this stuff.
So the rhetoric that's now flying around in the United States, is that good for the situation unfolding in Libya and in Egypt?
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Carol, I'm not really going to talk about the political domestic reporting here or rather the political dynamic here, but what really is important is to see what's going on outside.
You know, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just made a very strong speech condemning what happened in Libya and in Egypt. Condemning in the strongest possible terms the attack on those embassies and consulates and the killing of U.S. ambassador and other officials.
I think important for viewers to understand is what she tried to say also is that this is not all of the Arab world. This is not all Libyans or all Egyptians. These are very, very small parts, very small extremist members of these countries and voting -- rather polling shows that by a great margin people in Libya, for instance, support the United States and are very grateful for what the U.S. contributed during the liberation of Libya back a year ago. And we can see even the Libyan officials who have made statements have apologized to the people of Libya.
We're waiting to see what happens elsewhere around the world because horribly awful to say we've seen this movie before sort to speak. We saw what happened in Afghanistan and that region back in 2011 and 2010 when the Florida Pastor Terry Jones threatened to burn a Koran and then did burn one.
Indeed are incidents that have really had huge knock on effect. So we're waiting to see happens. President Karzai has strongly condemned the film and he's trying to tamp down any kind of outbreak against any kind of American facilities in Afghanistan.
They've tried to tamp down YouTube there so that people can't see this -- this trailer that's going around. So it's causing a lot of anxiety amongst American allies in that part of the world, as well.
COSTELLO: Senator John McCain issued a statement along with Joe Lieberman. They said that somebody has to be arrested, somebody has to be arrested for these attacks in Benghazi. Do you think that the Libyan government is in a position to do that? Will they do that? Should it do that?
(CROSSTALK)
AMANPOUR: Well I think -- I think -- I think it's going to have to. You heard a very strong statement from Secretary of State Clinton, as well, saying that they wanted to hunt these people down and bring them to justice. And they're working with the Libyan government to make sure that happens.
It's true that in some parts of Libya there are, you know, militias and security personnel who have not yet been brought fully under the control of the central government. It's moving in that direction but it's not fully in control of the central government. And that's a big challenge for a start-up country, if you like, a start-up attempt at democracy in that part of the world.
But that is going to have to be seen to be happening. The Libyan authorities are going to have to take measures against these people and hunt them down and bring them to justice as we've heard as I said a very strong statement from Libya apologizing in very strong terms for what happened.
COSTELLO: Yes. I'm just wondering how difficult that process will be.
AMANPOUR: Well you know, we can speculate, Carol. We can speculate that it will be difficult. We can speculate on and on about it but the fact of the matter is that these things will have to be done and it appears at least that the Libyans are saying the right thing. And I think that's very important.
It's not like the Libyans are saying, oh well, you know, sorry this happened. We're not going to take measures to -- to try to hunt these people down. They seem to be saying the right things.
And as I say, though, I think one also has a huge challenge going ahead. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made very clear that the United States has been a bastion of not just democracy but religious tolerance for its entire history and that's something that's very, very important to promote in the rest of the world, as well.
What we're seeing, also, though, is and you've heard the filmmaker say that this was a political movie. They knew what was at stake. They knew what could happen. He was warned that it could happen and he knew that that was going to happen. He took that on board.
So this is also, if you like, an incitement as well. And I think that has to be something that's a big challenge as we go forward trying to figure out, you know, what our responsibilities are, as well.
COSTELLO: Right. We live in the country that believes in free speech.
AMANPOUR: Exactly.
COSTELLO: As far as I know that -- that film is still posted on YouTube and you can see it here in the United States.
AMANPOUR: Right.
COSTELLO: And -- and I think "The Wall Street Journal" reporting that the filmmaker now is now in hiding and fearful for his life. AMANPOUR: He's in hiding, exactly. But when he was called after -- at least after the Egyptian security crisis around the embassy apparently according to published reports the filmmaker said, you know, "I did it. I knew what was going to happen. This is a political film." And he called Islam a cancer.
Now, there is free speech. Nobody is denying that. The question is, does one have to weigh one's words in this kind of situation? Or in any kind of situation -- is there some kind of responsibility against incitement? Is there some kind of measure when it comes to free speech or hate speech?
And look, you know, the United States in 1919 had a very, very important Supreme Court decision which essentially boiled down to you can't cry fire in a crowded theater. And it's very important that. And I know it's very difficult in these days with this huge Internet, this mass communications that gets reverberated around the world. How to balance all of that with free speech?
COSTELLO: Well, it's interesting you say that because I know there are some calls within Egypt that the U.S. Justice Department get involved and bring some sort of charges against this filmmaker.
AMANPOUR: Well, I think that's, you know, for the United States to decide how it proceeds. I mean, it's probably a nonstarter that. But as I say, you know, those of us who are on public platforms and who actually do speak and our words are counted, you, me, whoever else, we all every day measure what we say but we are part of a democracy which believes in free speech.
So you know, these are issues -- as I say, we've seen this movie before. This has happened over and over again whether in Afghanistan, whether in -- in the Netherlands. Those who go out to deliberately incite find that they play in to the hands of those very extremists in that other part of the world that we don't want to incite or rather that we don't want to -- to validate.
So those extremists out there use this stuff and whip up for their own political, religious, cultural, whatever reasons they have. So they're using it, as well.
COSTELLO: Interesting. Christiane Amanpour, thank you so much for sharing your insight, always valuable. We appreciate it.
I've been telling you that President Obama along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expected to have a joint news conference in about 10 or 15 minutes.
Let's head to Washington now to the White House and check in with our White House Correspondent Brianna Keilar. I thought it was kind of interesting that President Obama wouldn't appear alone but would have Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by his side.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And obviously as you know she just made remarks, as well. But she will be next to him. She is one of the very popular members of his cabinet; someone, obviously, who's very respected and well liked.
And this is becoming obviously a political issue. You can't ignore that, Carol. We heard last night or not heard I should say but Mitt Romney criticized President Obama and the Obama administration and the reaction very much tying him to a statement that came out from the Cairo embassy, a statement that the White House is very much distancing itself from.
And Mitt Romney taking some criticism now because of tying President Obama to that, a statement that was made before it became apparent that anyone had been killed in these incidents in Libya.
So the criticism that we heard last night sort of it appears Mitt Romney doubling down on some of that a short time ago from the campaign trail in Jacksonville. He said that this was akin to an apology and that it was disgraceful.
So we're really waiting to hear President Obama. Obviously he's going to condemn the violence. He did that in a paper statement earlier today. He also said that religious beliefs should not be denigrated referring to this video that has caused so much controversy, a video that -- that caused the violence and the protests.
So we're waiting to see, as well, if -- if President Obama weighs in on the political nature of this, Carol, since it's becoming an issue on the campaign trail and sort of a discussion over really who has better foreign policy credentials as Mitt Romney criticizes his and certainly behind the scenes the Obama campaign is criticizing Mitt Romney's response to that.
COSTELLO: Oh it will be fascinating. Brianna Keilar thanks. Live from the White House. That statement, that initial statement that was issued by the embassy of the United States in Cairo, I just want to read you a bit of it because this is the statement that set off Mitt Romney.
Quote, "The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions."
That statement finishes up by saying, quote, "We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others." End quote.
Now the White House says it did not OK this statement. The Embassy of the United States put out this statement on its own. And as you heard just a few minutes ago from Mitt Romney, Mitt Romney, of course, does not approve of the statement. He came out swinging.
Wolf Blitzer is here now and he joins us live from Washington. So the President is going to come out and talk about this very sensitive incidents that happened in Libya and Egypt. He can't exactly be telling politics, he's the President.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Well, this is way above politics right now. Four Americans have been killed in a brutal -- I can only call it a massacre -- at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, the second largest city in Libya.
This after the United States, the NATO allies, many in the Arab world and more moderate Arab states worked together to get rid of Moammar Gadhafi in Libya and now to see these kinds of attack on the United States diplomatic mission in Benghazi, that's way beyond politics, Carol.
This is a huge national security issue that has developed and it only goes to underscore that in these kinds of presidential debates when everyone is focusing on the domestic issues, the economic issues, the jobs related issues, even domestic social issues that a national security crisis and this is a crisis right now can explode.
You got what's going on in Benghazi in Libya right now. You got what's going on in Cairo when the United States embassy is attacked. American flags are burned. And it's a dangerous situation. This is one of the largest diplomatic missions that the United States has in the world. A lot of Americans serving at the U.S. embassy in Cairo. That's where they distribute more than $1.5 billion a year in U.S. economic and military assistance, mostly military assistance to Egypt.
But all of that very much up in the air and then you have some serious tensions shall we say developing overnight as well between Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and the President of the United States. All of this exploding in o a big political set of issues that will clearly affect the U.S. political campaign over the next at least several days. We'll see how it all unfolds. Let's hope it all quiets down.
I suspect it won't because the week after next, the United Nations general assembly, Carol, convenes in New York and leaders from more than 100 countries including Ahmadinejad is coming from Iran. They'll be all descending on New York. The President will be in New York. Mitt Romney will be in New York. Both by the way will be speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative which coincides with the U.N. General assembly week in New York.
So the national security and foreign policy is going to be an issue in this campaign even when so many thought it was way down -- way down the ladder, if you will. But it's obviously emerging now with a tragic vengeance given the death of four Americans.
COSTELLO: Let's go back to Mitt Romney's news conference where he really doubled down on President Obama, calling him an apologist. Things are still tense in Libya. As far as we know they're searching for these people who carried out that attack on the consulate building in Benghazi.
I don't know. Was it wise? Oh. Wolf, the President is coming out along with the Secretary of State. Let's listen.
BLITZER: Yes.
(BEGIN LIVE FEED) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good morning.
Every day all across the world American diplomats and civilians work tirelessly to advance the interests and values of our nation. Often, they are away from their families and sometimes they brave great danger.
Yesterday, four of these extraordinary Americans were killed in an attack on our diplomatic post in Benghazi. Among those killed was our Ambassador, Chris Stevens. As well as Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith. We are still notifying the families of the others who were killed.
And today, the American people stand united in holding the families of the four Americans in our thoughts and in our prayers.
The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous and shocking attack. We're working with the government of Libya to secure our diplomats. I have directed my administration to increase our security at diplomatic posts around the world.
And make no mistake. We'll work with the Libyan government to bring to justice the killers who attacked our people.
Since our founding, the United States has been a nation that respects all faiths. We reject all efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. But there is absolutely no justification to this type of senseless violence -- none. The world must stand together to unequivocally reject these brutal acts.
Already, many Libyans have joined us in doing so and this attack will not break the bonds between the United States and Libya. Libyan security personnel fought back against the attackers alongside Americans. Libyans helped some of our diplomats find safety and they carried Ambassador Steven's body to the hospital where we tragically learned that he had died.
It's especially tragic that Chris Stevens died in Benghazi because it is a city that he helped to save. At the height of the Libyan revolution, Chris led our diplomatic post in Benghazi. With characteristic skill, courage and resolve he built partnerships with Libyan revolutionaries and helped them as they planned to build a new Libya.
When the Gadhafi regime came to an end, Chris was there to serve as our ambassador to the new Libya and he worked tirelessly to support this young democracy and I think both Secretary Clinton and I relied deeply on his knowledge of the situation on the ground there. He was a role model to all who worked with him and to the young diplomats who aspired to walk in his footsteps.
Along with his colleagues, Chris died in a country that's still striving to emerge from the recent experience of war. Today, the loss of these four Americans is fresh but our memories of them linger on. I have no doubt that their legacy will live on through the work they did far from our shores and in the hearts of those who loved them back home.
Of course, yesterday, was already a painful day for our nation as we marked the solemn memory of the 9/11 attacks. We mourned with the families who were lost on that day. I visited the graves of troops who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan at the hallowed grounds of Arlington Cemetery. And had the opportunity to say thank you and visit some of our wounded warriors at Walter Reed.
And then last night we learned the news of this attack in Benghazi. As Americans, let us never, ever forget that our freedom is only sustained because there are people who are willing to fight for it, to stand up for it and in some cases lay down their lives for it. Our country's only as strong as the character of our people and the service of those both civilian and military who represent us around the globe. 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 for more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waiver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act and make no mistake -- justice will be done.
But we also know that the lives of these Americans led stand in stark contrast to those of their attackers. These four Americans stood up for freedom and human dignity. They should give every American great pride in the country that they served and the hope that our flag represents to people around the globe who also yearn to live in freedom and with dignity.
We grieve with their families but let us carry on their memory and let us continue their work of seeking a stronger America and a better world for all of our children.
Thank you. May God bless the memory of those we lost and may God bless the United States of America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, was this an act of war?
(END LIVE FEED)
BLIZTER: All right. So there are the President and the Secretary of State, they leave the Rose Garden. They're going back in to the Oval Office. You see them together.
We're told that the President just added to the schedule a visit to the State Department. I assume he'll go over there to express his condolences to the career foreign service officers. The ambassador Chris Stevens was a respected career foreign service officer, a veteran U.S. diplomat. A lot of people don't always appreciate the sacrifice that these career diplomats make. They serve Democratic presidents, Republican presidents and they do a fabulous job over the years and very often under very, very dangerous circumstances.
Ambassador Chris Stevens and the information specialist Sean Smith, both of them confirmed dead in this attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. Both experienced, both working very hard; and Ambassador Stevens had struggled during the uprising against Gadhafi working with the rebels trying to coordinate some sort of strategy.
And it's an awful, awful situation. An awful tragedy that he has now been killed. Comes under the headline "no good deed shall go unpunished". Ambassador Chris Stevens is someone who was highly, highly respected, risked his life often and has obviously now paid with his life for what he's tried to achieve.
I was struck, Carol, as we assess what's going on and we get ready for the President to add this visit to the State Department by what he said. I don't think he said it just once he said it twice. He said just -- "Make no mistake. Justice will be done."
That says to me that the U.S. will try to find out who was responsible for this attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi. Who are the individuals responsible? And the U.S. will go after these individuals -- capture them or kill them.
When he says justice will be done, that is not an idle threat. That is a direct threat to those directly involved and if the Libyan government doesn't produce these individuals, I suspect the U.S. government will go forth and try to find out who they were and make sure that justice is served.
That's one huge issue right now. The other huge issue, obviously, is what happened at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo yesterday when it was attacked. And the U.S. flag was burned; it was replaced by a black flag. All of this as a result of some anger because of a YouTube video, some sort of film that portrayed the Prophet Muhammad in a less than positive way. And it's causing major political ramifications as our viewers by now know.
Mitt Romney just a little while before the President issued a very strong statement himself, condemning these attacks but at the same time -- the same time condemning the initial statement by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo which was clearly a misguided statement that went after those who produced these kinds of films and didn't directly, directly condemn those who attacked the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
So this is going to cause a lot of political uproar and back and forth between the Romney and Obama campaigns. I was also struck by the fact that both of these attacks occurred on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11.
Yesterday when I spoke to Mike Rodgers, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, he made it clear that there are elements of al Qaeda in Libya right now. In fact, in Tunisia, he pointed out as well, and it's perhaps not coincidental that these attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and the U.S. Diplomatic mission -- the consulate in Benghazi did occur on 9/11. So there's a lot of tension going on in that part of the world in North Africa and in the Middle East right now. And it's going to cause a lot of heartburn for U.S. national security specialists in the hours and days ahead -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And I know you will be talking more about this on "THE SITUATION ROOM". Thanks Wolf for being with us. We appreciate it.
We're going to take a short break. We'll be back with more.
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COSTELLO: Martin Indyk is a two-time former U.S. ambassador to Israel. He's the director of the foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution and author of "Innocent Abroad". Welcome. Thank you for being with us this morning.
MARTIN INDYK, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: Thank you.
COSTELLO: I know you knew Ambassador Stevens -- the ambassador that was killed in the Benghazi attack. Tell us about him.
INDYK: Chris worked for me when I was the assistant secretary of state for the Middle East in the second term of the Clinton administration. He was then the Iran desk officer and he was busily learning Farsi on the side in the hope that he would be one of the first American diplomats to be posted to Iran if we were able to normalize relations and open an embassy there.
It was typical of Chris's enthusiasm -- and I'm haunted by the smile on his face that has been projected by CNN and others this morning of his official photograph. That captured Chris. He was always enthusiastic and cheery in everything that he did and he always wanted to be on the front lines. So it was no surprise to me that when we opened up in Libya under the Bush administration that he was the first out there. And that he stayed there and worked with the Libyan opposition to overthrow Gadhafi.
He was a typical of those diplomats like Ryan Crocker or Robert Ford in Damascus who are keen to be out there in the field on the front lines risking their lives for the sake of promoting American interest. It's a terrible thing that's happened here and I really grieve for him and for his family, as well.
COSTELLO: Yes. Wife and two children he leaves behind. President Obama just spoke. He said there's no justification to this senseless violence but he didn't throw Libya under the bus, so to speak. Was this the right thing to say?
INDYK: Look. This was clearly not the intention of the Libyan government. Many of them worked closely with Chris and depended on him. It was not in their interest to have him assassinated in this terrible way. And I think that they've been quick to apologize and I would hope that they would work quickly to crack down on and arrest those responsible.
By the same token, this was no just mob lynching. You don't go to a demonstration with RPGs so there was something more organized behind this attack I suspect. And it's very important that the Libyan government get to the bottom of that and make sure that as President Obama said they're -- the perpetrators of this horrible assassination are brought to justice. COSTELLO: Mitt Romney is accusing the President of initially being an apologist for the terrorists. He said that the President didn't come out with a strong enough statement. Do you agree?
INDYK: No, I don't. And I think it's a shame that an issue like this should be -- should be used as a political football. We should -- at moments like this, it's just -- I think it's just not appropriate to get in to a slamming match by either side and I would hope that out of respect for the Americans that have been killed here that the politicians would just pull back for at least a day.
COSTELLO: Ambassador Indyk, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us this morning. We appreciate it.
INDYK: Thank you.
COSTELLO: I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining us today.
"CNN NEWSROOM" with Ashleigh Banfield continues after a short break.
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ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Ashleigh Banfield with breaking news here at CNN. It's 11:00 on the East Coast, 8:00 a.m. on the West Coast.
And a shocking attack. A shocking death. A United States ambassador in Libya dead today. The Obama administration taking steps now this hour to beef up security at embassies around the world after this veteran diplomat Christopher Stevens, along with three of his American --
