Pure politician response. Deny, deflect, distract, victim blame. Exactly what the Israelis did then and continue to do through today. What office are you running for?
Here’s a good consolidation of the events then and afterwards for those who may not know about the attack on the Liberty.
Make no mistake, I fully believe Hamas and the rest of the Palestinians are enemies of the US and our citizenry, as they desire our destruction and demise. I also fully believe Israel is neither friend nor ally beyond our common enemies when they are attacking us. They have not in the past and continuing today will not hesitate to attack us if it fits their needs at the time.