CIA deputy: Rice got initial assessment on Libya

WASHINGTON (AP) — The deputy CIA director has told lawmakers that U.N. ambassador Susan Rice was provided with an unclassified version of what happened during the deadly Sept. 11 attack in Libya that later proved to be incorrect.

Mike Morell briefed members of the House Intelligence committee on Thursday. Emerging from the session, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said Morell told the panel that Rice was given an initial assessment that a spontaneous protest over an anti-Muslim video evolved into an attack on the consulate.

Rice's comments on national talk shows five days after the attack has drawn fierce criticism, with some Senate Republicans vowing to block her nomination if she is tapped to replace Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Schiff said the ambassador's interview remarks were based on the "best initial assessment."