In the case of love and power, history repeats itself

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In his first news conference since March, President Obama addressed the scandal, saying there was no evidence that it put any intelligence in jeopardy. But how could the president be so certain, given that it’s not clear whether he actually knew of the affair before the Benghazi attack?

Someone’s eye wasn’t on the ball, right, Mr. President?

In the end, it is ultimately Obama who needs to explain why we were attacked in Benghazi. And despite the affair, the most important question remains why the American consulate was left so inadequately and tragically under-protected.

Despite his resignation, Petraeus still testified at the congressional hearings on the Benghazi attacks last week. It was wise of Congress to secure his testimony sooner rather than later. It’s the only way we’re going to get any answers.

Let’s not let this situation tarnish our views of our military and servicemen. There are many heartwarming stories of the unsung heroes following Hurricane Sandy. And I’m not talking about the celebrities who donated time or money.

Look at the job the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Guard did in helping with our recovery efforts. These men and women helped with evacuations, and spent countless hours after the storm securing residents, delivering generators and cleaning up in danger zones.

As the weeks go on and the cleanup continues, I continue to be amazed by the job our volunteer firemen and emergency personnel are doing to help restore our communities. I have witnessed their selfless acts every day in my hometown, and I’m proud of each and every one of them.

Whether you read this before or after Thanksgiving, I hope you’ll take the time to thank your local volunteers. I think the events of the past month have made us all realize just how much we have to be thankful for.

Al D’Amato, a former U.S. senator from New York, is the founder of Park Strategies LLC, a public policy and business development firm. Comments about this column? ADAmato@liherald.com.

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