Obama Rebuffs Lindsey Graham: ‘We’re Not To Blame For Boston’

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama shot back at Senator Lindsey Graham who had criticized the administration of being at fault for the Boston Marathon bombing last week.

“I have no idea who bears the blame. I just know the system is broken. The ultimate blame I think is with the administration,” Graham told CNN on Thursday.

Obama’s response to Graham was a bit more measured. “Mr. Graham is not right on this issue, although it may have generated some headlines,” he said in a press conference.

Regardless of who is to blame, “We now have one individual deceased, one in custody. Charges have been brought,” Obama continued.

He also applauded the government response to the bombing, pointing out that everyone on the government side did their jobs, and well.

“I think that what we saw in Boston was state, local, federal officials, every agency, rallying around a city that had been attacked, identifying the perpetrators just hours after the scene had been examined,” he said.

Obama continued:

“What I can say is, is that based on what I’ve seen so far, the FBI performed its duties; Department of Homeland Security did what it was supposed to be doing.”

President Obama also waived the notion that people should be afraid of gathering in public places after the attack.

“You don’t get a sense that anybody’s intimidated when they go to Fenway Park a couple days after the bombing,” he said. “There are joggers right now, I guarantee you, all throughout Boston and Cambridge and Watertown.”

Do you think that the Obama administration is to blame for the Boston bombing?

[Image via: Will White, Wikimedia Commons]