Rep. Hoyer: Romney made 'reckless statements without the facts' on Libya

CNN is following new riots in the streets of Cairo this morning, and new debate over whether the attack leading to the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other consulate workers in Libya was a coordinated effort by al Qaeda.

House Democratic Whip and Congressman Steny Hoyer from Maryland talks to John Berman and Brooke Baldwin on “Starting Point” this morning to respond to the attacks in Middle East and the politics in the U.S. erupting from it.

Congressman Hoyer says he’s sure that every embassy around the world has been put on high alert since the attacks.

“I think all of us are dramatically reminded of the violent nature of the societies that are contending to establish democracies or to establish autocratic leaderships in their countries,” he says. “We are reminded of the danger that our men and women who are sent abroad to represent the United States of America to promote democracy and freedom around the world, we know the danger to which they are exposed.”

He answers whether President Obama is politicizing the attacks in response to statements made by Governor Mitt Romney. “Not at all,” he says. Congressman Hoyer says President Obama’s remarks were very measured and only in response to media inquires after Romney’s statement. “In my opinion, Mitt Romney, from a political perspective, made some reckless statements without the facts,” he says. “We all need to know the facts of what happened here.”

Congressman Hoyer also addresses the situation in Libya, and how the U.S. may help the country develop after coming out of a brutal dictatorship.

“America, in a bipartisan way, has been very resolute in confronting those who would terrorize our people, but terrorize their own countries as well,” he says. “The Libyans have apologized. The Libyan leadership has said it’s going to make greater efforts, and we need to give assistance to those efforts to keep their country stable and secure.”

However, the congressman maintains that host governments, as well as the U.S., must also insure that they keep obligations to keep all personnel secure.