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.
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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.
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 OโReilly: โYour detractors believe that you did not tell the world it was a terrorist attack because your campaign didnโt want that out. Thatโs what they believe.โ
President Obama: โAnd they believe it because folks like you are telling them that.โ
OโReilly: โIโm not telling them that. Iโm asking you whether you were told it was a terror attack.โ
President Obama: โAnd what Iโm saying is that is inaccurate. Weโve revealed to the American people exactly what we knew at the time.โ
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: โThese kind of things keep surfacing because you and your TV station will promote them. Bill, when you actually look at the stuff thereโs been multiple hearings on it.โ
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