Bill O'Reilly took Rep. Jason Chaffetz to the woodshed last night in an interview in which Chaffetz apparently was expecting knee jerk commendation rather than questioning.
There was a time when Chaffetz showed great promise. But, his immature, incompetent side began to be on display in the 2012 Republican presidential primaries when Chaffetz was spotlighted going to Gingrich speaking engagements to disturb and annoy as his way of being a Romney surrogate.
Now, as member of the committee investigating Benghazi, he again shows lack of good sense and ability to do his job. When Bill O'Reilly asked Chaffetz why former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has not been called to testify before his committee, Chaffetz could not give a credible response.
Not, "We've tried to get him, but he has claimed executive privilege." Or, "We are setting this up in an orderly manner and will call him after questioning other important figures." Or even, "I'm not in charge of who gets called."
No, his explanation of why Panetta has not been called is: "To me it feels like halftime." What?
Chaffetz follows this lame excuse with whining because the media isn't questioning the president: "I want somebody in the media to ask the President why his four star general thought it was over."
True as it is that the media hasn't seriously questioned President Obama* (or anyone else in the administration), why is the media on Chaffetz's mind? As O'Reilly points out, Chaffetz's committee has the ability to subpoena people and put them under oath. But, Chaffetz, instead of focusing on using the power he and his committee have, seems not to be thinking about that or strategizing how best to use the power he has.
Incompetence? Immaturity? In any case, not the kind of guy who seems capable of real leadership in tough situations. What a waste.
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*O'Reilly pointed out that he tried to get a clear answer from President Obama in his Sunday interview with the President, but he couldn't force the President to answer. (O'Reilly: "And I tried to get it from President Obama, but he wouldn't answer it.")
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6 comments:
Every once in a while, O'Reilly still manages to hit a homer.
Max, the worst thing about this is that Chaffetz, as an insider in the process, should have been able to run rings around O'Reilly. Instead, it sounds as though O'Reilly, in prepping for one 10 minute interview with the President, knew a lot more and had a better strategy than a key Republican who has been investigating Benghazi for over a year.
http://www.gop.gov/benghazi/
This is our firewall against executive malfeasance? How depressing.
I've never thought of Chaffetz as a firewall, TD - nor much of anything else for that matter; he just hasn't struck me as a guy who spends a lot of time on issues. I'd have liked to have been proven wrong, of course, but....
As usual, you have been proven right, Max. Like you, I'm always sorry to have someone shown up to be less serious than he should have been.
I'd hardly go with "as usual", TD, but I'd like to have been wrong about him.
Yes, he has talked a lot better game than he has been able to play.
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