Each year the news division of the network hosting the Super Bowl is granted a pregame interview with President Obama. This year was Fox's turn, and Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly used the occasion to grill the president on a few of the conservative's favorite topics, including Benghazi and the IRS' targeting of conservative groups.
O'Reilly interrupted the president frequently during the interview to press his contention that the Obama administration withheld information about the attack on the US embassy in Libya for political reasons and a corrupt culture at the IRS.
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After quite a bit of sparring, the president finally turned the tables and said Fox was actually to blame for keeping both controversies alive:
Bill OβReilly: βYour detractors believe that you did not tell the world it was a terrorist attack because your campaign didnβt want that out. Thatβs what they believe.β
President Obama: βAnd they believe it because folks like you are telling them that.β
OβReilly: βIβm not telling them that. Iβm asking you whether you were told it was a terror attack.β
President Obama: βAnd what Iβm saying is that is inaccurate. Weβve revealed to the American people exactly what we knew at the time.β
On the IRS, O'Reilly questioned whether a local Cincinnati office knowingly targeted conservative groups for scrutiny with the knowledge of president's team.
President Obama: βThese kind of things keep surfacing because you and your TV station will promote them. Bill, when you actually look at the stuff thereβs been multiple hearings on it.β
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