Eleanor Clift: Ambassador Stevens wasn’t murdered; he died from ‘smoke inhalation’

Eleanor Clift, noted liberal columnist and pundit from the Daily Beast, insisted during a broadcast discussion of Benghazi on “The McLaughlin Group” that U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens wasn’t really murdered.

He actually died from “smoke inhalation,” she said, Mediaite reported.

Her exact words: “I’d like to point out that Ambassador Stevens was not ’murdered,’ ” she said, bending her fingers in the air to suggest the drawing of quote marks, “but died of smoke inhalation in a CIA safe room.”

Fellow panelists were quick to point out the nature of his death stemmed from a terrorist attack.

“It was a terrorist attack, Eleanor. He was murdered in a terrorist attack,” said panelist Pat Buchanan, Mediaite reported.

Ms. Clift’s reply: The terrorist attack was fueled by the anti-Muslim video. And “it was still a CIA [outpost]. If you’re going to put somebody on trial, put David Petraeus on trial, not Hillary Clinton.”