On May 31st, President Obama stood with Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s parents to announce that the soldier held in Afghanistan, who was reportedly a deserter, was coming home. Released in return for Bergdahl were five Taliban commanders who were being held at Gitmo.
Something could be going wrong for the White House on the PR front, because in spite of the picture that was carefully painted during the initial announcement, CNN is reporting that White House officials are saying Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel was the person who made the final call:
Classified #Bergdahl briefing just finished. WH officials say Secy. Hagel made the final call on #Bergdahl swap. @BuckMcKeon is #OutFront.
— OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) June 9, 2014
On the day the Bergdahl swap was announced, the White House certainly didn’t mind giving the impression President Obama made the decision.
Sure. That's why Hagel was in the Rose Garden w/the parents. RT @OutFrontCNN WH officials say Hagel made the final call on #Bergdahl swap.
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) June 9, 2014
Boy, that deflection of responsibility escalated quickly.
WH officials say Hagel made final call on Bergdahl swap. Uh, hhmm….The wheels on the bus go round and round…..
— woot6 (@woot6) June 9, 2014
https://twitter.com/Greg651/status/476146998744449026
Sec of Defense Hagel taking the fall for Obama's bonehead Bergdahl trade. This administration knows the populace is completely ignorant.
— Blackbird Watcher (@Velcro108) June 9, 2014
@OutFrontCNN @zerohedge Buck stops…not here.
— Chris (@4cchild) June 9, 2014
@OutFrontCNN @instapundit @BuckMcKeon BULLSHIT!!! POTUS simply a coward to own it. Is chuck hagel going to jail for Obama?
— The Snarky Mushroom (@SnarkyMushroom) June 9, 2014
@OutFrontCNN @HouseCracka @BuckMcKeon Goodbye Hagel…
— QueenOfScott (@QueenOfScott) June 9, 2014
WH wusses. RT “@OutFrontCNN: Classified #Bergdahl WH officials say Hagel made the final call on #Bergdahl swap. @BuckMcKeon is #OutFront.”
— Sherman Frederick (@shermfrederick) June 9, 2014
So, when Obama said the Gitmo release was “something I would do again” he was referring to Hagel? This is confusing.
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Related:
‘Completely deranged’: Obama says Bergdahl concerns just ‘whipped-up’ controversy
Carney defends Obama on shady Bergdahl prisoner swap: ‘It was the right thing to do’
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