Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough clashed with former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum on Sunday's "Meet The Press." The panel was in the midst of a discussion on the recent terrorist threat that led to the closing of more than 20 U.S. embassies and consulates around the Middle East and North Africa.
"Oh, I think it's a huge deal," Santorum said of the threat. "And I think it's really a consequence of the policies of this administration. If you look at Benghazi and what happened there—we had an attack on our embassy. We've seen really nothing other than cover-ups. We haven't seen anything from this administration really go after the people who are responsible, or the network behind it."
Scarborough disagreed on Santorum's characterization of Obama's anti-terrorism policies. "Even the president's critics inside the C.I.A. have been surprised at his drone policy," Scarborough argued. Santorum went on to argue that other than Obama's drone policy, the president has not "confronted radical Islam."
"I'm not in the business of defending Barack Obama," Scarborough said. "But if you talk to people in the intelligence community, they will tell you that Al Qaeda is busted, it's broken, it's splintered ... Al Qaeda is not any stronger today than it was when Barack Obama came into office. And most people, conservatives in the intel community, will tell you that in fact it is weaker today than it was. Because the president has surprised a lot of people."
Scarborough and Santorum have clashed in the past. During the 2012 Republican presidential primary race, the former candidate accused the MSNBC host of playing "gotcha politics."
Related
Before You Go
