Conservative Media Praise CBS' 60 Minutes Report On Benghazi

Written by Eric Hananoki

Published

CBS' 60 Minutes report on the September 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi has received loud applause from the conservative media. Conservatives have reacted by claiming CBS News is “finally catching up” to Fox News, trying to “atone for [its] Benghazi cover-up,” and showing “how much [the Obama administration] has lied and hidden facts.”

The 60 Minutes report fed into the conservative myth that military assistance was denied to the U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi. Media Matters has noted that CBS' October 27 report claimed there's a “lingering question” about why no outside U.S. military forces came to the aid of the people under fire. Former Defense Department officials and military experts have already answered that question, explaining that assets were mobilized but could not arrive in time to help.

Here is a rundown of the conservative praise for the 60 Minutes Benghazi report: 

Fox's Doocy: “Finally Catching Up.” Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy said this morning, “It's great that mainstream media finally catching up. CBS did this story on Benghazi and I see criticism from the left where they go, 'You guys are covering a phony scandal.' 60 Minutes doesn't cover phony scandals.”

[Fox News, Fox & Friends, 10/28/13, via Media Matters]

Fox's MacCallum: 60 Minutes Focusing On Benghazi Like Fox News Has Been. America's Newsroom co-anchor Martha MacCallum said: “Now 60 Minutes, the venerable news program, Sunday night news program, is putting a lot of focus on this story ... Here at Fox News we've been covering this story for a very long time. At times we've been criticized for continuing to cover this story. Leslie [Marshall], now it continues to be a broader issue and another very strong news network also wants some answers here.”

[Fox News, America's Newsroom, 10/28/13]

Pat Robertson: “It's All Over.” The 700 Club's Pat Robertson compared the 60 Minutes report to President Lyndon B. Johnson's remark that if he lost newsman Walter Cronkite on Vietnam, he'd lost Middle America. Robertson said: "Obama, I believe, is starting to lose the media. When 60 Minutes goes against him, when Saturday Night Live goes against him, when all these people begin to make fun of him, it's all over.

[CBN, The 700 Club, 10/28/13]

Breitbart.com: "CBS, '60 Minutes' Try To Atone For Benghazi Cover-Up." Breitbart.com promoted the 60 Minutes piece with the headline, “CBS, '60 Minutes' Try To Atone For Benghazi Cover-Up.” Editor Joel B. Pollak wrote in his post: "60 Minutes featured an investigative report on the Benghazi attacks by Lara Logan. Logan's reporting confirmed that the Obama administration had been warned, months in advance, about inadequate security at the U.S. facility in Benghazi, and that it knew the story about a YouTube video was untrue. It was a reversal for CBS News, which played a key role in the Benghazi cover-up in 2012." [Breitbart.com, 10/28/13] 

Powerline: “Democratic Partly News Outlet” Turns On Obama. John Hinderaker at the conservative blog Powerline wrote: “60 Minutes is normally a reliable Democratic Party news outlet, but tonight it turned its back on its friends in the Obama administration with a scathing report on the Benghazi scandal.” [Powerline, 10/27/13]

Human Events: “60 Minutes: Yes, America, The Obama Administration Lied To You About Benghazi.” Human Events staff writer John Hayward wrote: "'60 Minutes' ran a report on the Benghazi scandal Sunday night that confirmed its status as an enduring scandal with many questions still remaining to be answered.  Good thing the media was willing to cover for Barack Obama until he got re-elected, because this is some really damning stuff." [Human Events, 10/28/13] 

Blogger Pam Geller: “Media Is Talking Straight About Benghazi.” Birther and right-wing extremist Pam Geller promoted the 60 Minutes report on her site and wrote: “Over a year after the murderous attack, finally, media is talking straight about Benghazi.” [Atlas Shrugs, 10/27/13]

Blogger Jim Hoft: "'60 Minutes' Finally Reveals Benghazi Was a Real Scandal & You Were Lied To." [Gateway Pundit, 10/27/13]

Conservatives Tweet Praise For 60 Minutes Report.                 

  • Fox News contributor Monica Crowley tweeted: “Solid @60Minutes piece on #Benghazi. @CBSNews & @FoxNews among the very, very few reporting on this grave & outrageous scandal.” [Twitter.com, 10/27/13]
  • Fox News contributor Jonah Goldberg tweeted: “I hope you all DVR'd the 60 Minutes piece on #Benghazi” and “This 60 Minutes #benghazi piece corroborates pretty much everything #foxnews has reported so far." [Twitter.com, 10/27/13; 10/27/13]
  • Media Research Center vice president Dan Gainor tweeted: “60 Minutes piece on Benghazi shows how much admin has lied and hidden facts on deadly disaster. Blame Obama AND Hillary.” [Twitter.com, 10/27/13]
  • National Review writer Jim Geraghty tweeted: “You must, must, must watch this 60 Minutes report. US knew top al-qaeda embassy bomber was in country & planning.” [Twitter.com, 10/27/13]

For more on conservative media myths about the September 2012 attack, read The Benghazi Hoax, the new e-book by Media Matters' David Brock and Ari Rabin-Havt.