WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. President Obama said Sunday the IRS targeting scandal involved "bone-headed decisions" but "not even a smidgen of corruption."
In a one-on-one interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly ahead of the network's broadcast of the Super Bowl, the president denied his administration had used the IRS to go after Tea Party organizations seeking tax-exemption status.
"That's not what happened," he said. "There were some bone-headed decisions.
But, he said, there was "no mass corruption -- not even a smidgen of corruption."
Obama also was questioned about the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, where four Americans were killed, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
"All of the security precautions that needed to be taken didn't happen," Obama said. "The key is that we've implemented the reforms that have been recommended."
He denied his administration attempted to "hide the ball" concerning the nature of the attack.
"We revealed to the American people exactly what we understood at the time," the president said.
Asked why he didn't fire Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius over the botched rollout of the Affordable Care Act website, Obama responded by citing the healthcare law's benefits. When O'Reilly followed up by asking the president whether telling Americans they would be able to keep their health plans was his biggest mistake, Obama replied, "Bill, you've got a long list of my mistakes."
"I try to focus not on fumbles but on the next play," the president said.
