Fox’s Benghazi Obsession By The Numbers

Network Aired 1,098 Evening Segments In First 20 Months After Attacks.

Fox News’ evening lineup ran nearly 1,100 segments on the Benghazi attacks and their aftermath in the first 20 months following the attacks. Nearly 500 segments focused on a set of Obama administration talking points used in September 2012 interviews; more than 100 linked the attacks to a potential Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential run; and dozens of segments compared the attacks and the administration response to the Watergate or Iran-Contra scandals. The network hosted Republican members of Congress to discuss Benghazi nearly 30 times more frequently than Democrats.

Key Findings:

-In 18 Of 20 Months Studied, Fox Ran At Least 20 Benghazi Segments Per Month, With A High Of 174 In October 2012.

– Conservatives Tried To Manufacture A Scandal From Sunday Show Talking Points.

– Fox News Discussed The Talking Points In Nearly Half Of Its Benghazi Segments.

– Multiple Investigations Reveal There Was No Obama Administration “Cover-Up”

– 37 Percent Of Benghazi Segments Accused Obama Of Deliberately Misleading Or Outright Lying About Benghazi.

– Fox News Compared Benghazi To Watergate, Iran-Contra “Cover-Up” Scandals At Least 120 Times.

– Obama Repeatedly Called Benghazi An “Act Of Terror” In The Days After The Attack.

– Fox News Speculated About A Political Motive For Obama’s Response To Benghazi In One-Fifth Of Segments.

– There Was No Obama Administration “Stand-Down Order”.

– Reinforcements Were Scrambled To Aid The Diplomatic Post.

– The Administration Did Not Have Access To “Real-Time Video” Of Benghazi Attacks.

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