SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS ON THE BENGHAZI ATTACK.............

Hilary Clinton completed her four year term as U.S. Secretary of State today by making two appearances before Congressional oversight committees investigating the American Mission in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012; that resulted in explosions and fires and the deaths of four American diplomats, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.  Her testimony delayed by two months, as a result of her illness, followed by a concussion and a blood clot, became the pinnacle occasion of her tenure heading up the State Department, during the first term of President Obama's Administration.  She appeared for two hours before the Senate Committee this morning and then sat with the House Committee for three hours just ending.  Secretary Clinton arrived well prepared to testify, standing her ground on all the questions she was asked, and at times showing reare public emotion about the Benghazi tragedy.  She reiterated taking responsibility for the incident and was harshly chided by Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who told her had he been President he would have dismissed her from her position.  She and Senator Ronald Johnson of Wisconsin had the most vociferous exchange, in which she gave back as stringently as she got, and had a more tactful back and forth with Senator John McCain, who told her he was not satisfied with her the answers she was giving.  Her afternoon with the House Committee members was even more rancorous with one Representative telling her she let the Benghazi Mission, become a, "deathtrap".  Opinions and responses differed depending on the political lenses of the Congressional members.  In addition to be thanked for her service and criticized for her inaction until after the investigatory report of Admiral Mullin and Ambassador Pickering by Republican members of the two committees, she was also was also praised for her twenty years of public service as First Lady, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State, by Democratic members of the two committees; who asserted she will return to national public service in the future, with some referring specifically to 2016, the year of the next presidential election.  An NBC News-Wall Street Journal Poll released Tuesday night, shows Hilary Clinton retires as Secretary of State, with an approval rating of 67% support of the American People.  Today's hearings were Secretary Clinton's penultimate appearance before the U.S. Senate as she leaves the Department of State, as she will be present again this morning to introduce the outgoing Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Senator John Kerry, as President Obama's nominee as the next American Secretary of State.............Fr.  Troy