In the immediate aftermath of the
2012 attack on the consulate in Benghazi, Libya, the White House
quickly jumped from questions about the cause of the attack to blaming
the incendiary YouTube video promoted by Florida pastor Terry Jones.
Last May, a set of emails
was leaked by opponents of President Obama outlining the development of
the talking points then-UN Ambassador Susan Rice used in a series of
television appearances following the September 11, 2012 attack. The
White House then released a more complete set of messages, effectively neutralizing critique of how the talking points were created.
New documents, obtained by the conservative group Judicial Watch by a Freedom of Information Act request, include a different set of talking points
created by Obama advisor Ben Rhodes and sent to administration
officials including spokesman Jay Carney. At the top, it outlines four
goals: