Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer revived the right-wing myth that President Obama was absent on the night of the September 11, 2012, attack on the American diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya.

Three State Department officials testified on May 8 before the House Oversight Committee about the deadly attacks in Benghazi. During a Special Report panel discussion about the hearing, Krauthammer suggested that Obama was missing the night of the Benghazi attack, saying: “Where was the commander-in-chief when all this -- the one man who can authorize and order troops to move above everybody and instantly is commander-in-chief. Where was he for these hours when the fight was raging? Has anybody asked it? Has anybody answered that?”

The claim that Obama was missing during the Benghazi attack has been long debunked. During a February 7 congressional hearing, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta attested to the fact that the White House was in contact with military officials and was “well-informed” during the attack, as reported by the Associated Press:

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., questioned whether Panetta spoke again to Obama after that first meeting. The Pentagon chief said no but that the White House was in touch with military officials and aware of what was happening.

“During the eight-hour period, did he show any curiosity?” Graham asked.

Panetta said there was no question the president was concerned about American lives. Exasperated with Graham's interruptions, Panetta said forcefully, “The president is well-informed about what is going on; make no mistake about it.”

General Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also testified that Obama's staff “was engaged with the national military command center pretty constantly” throughout the attack.

The AP also reported that Panetta and Dempsey were meeting with Obama when they learned of the attack and that Obama responded immediately, telling them to “deploy forces as quickly as possible.”