Bill Clinton defends Hillary's record on Benghazi, is 'dumbfounded' by Karl Rove

WASHINGTON, May 14 (UPI) -- Former President Bill Clinton, speaking at the Peterson Foundation's annual fiscal summit, defended wife Hillary's actions in response to the 2012 Benghazi attacks, and said he was "dumbfounded" by Karl Rove's comments about her health.

The former president dismissed Rove's comments, saying Republicans will do "whatever it takes" to harm public opinion of Hillary as she contemplates a run for the White House.

"Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds," Clinton quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson in reference to Rove.

Rove reportedly told an audience that former Secretary of State Clinton had a "serious health issue" and was hiding potential brain damage suffered from a concussion and blood clot in 2012. He has since partially denied and backpedaled from those statements.

"First they say she was faking her concussion, now they say she's auditioning for a part on The Walking Dead," Clinton quipped. "She is strong, she is doing great. As far as I can tell, she's in better shape than I am."

President Clinton also defended his wife's record as secretary of state, specifically in regard to Benghazi.

"In my opinion, Hillary did what she should have done. Secretaries of State never were involved directly in these security decisions ... Most Americans don't even know how many American diplomatic personnel were killed while President Bush was president."