‘Terrorism’ deleted from Rice’s talking points

>> me now is california congresswoman barbara lee , a member of the house foreign affairs committee . congresswoman, a lot of attacks against susan rice who seems to be the messenger delivering a message. do you think that she should be held to account for the what the intelligence community decided to make public?

>> first of all, ambassador rice would be der re elect in her duty had she not brought forward the information which the intelligence community provided. this has evolved and, of course, we have a tragic, traj igs situation where four of our diplomats were tragically killed and we have to get to the bottom of it. i think what's also so offensive and wrong is that we are attacking this ambassador for doing her job. and we need to make sure that we stop the politicizing of this and get the facts. that needs to be done. this has to stop right away. i think that once the facts are put forward, then we will know how to proceed to make sure that a tragedy such as this does not happen again. also, let me just say with regard to ambassador rice, she's dr. rice, a rhodes scholar , she graduated and got her, ph.d. from oxford university , been in key position with the national security council . i've known her many years. she's a brilliant woman, engaged in tough negotiations on behalf of the united states . when you look at what she has done with regard to enhanced sanctions against north korea and iran, she's done an amazing job as ambassador. so there's no reason to question her intelligence, her experience and her credibility. she has done a great job and continues to look out in terms of the -- for the united states ' best interest in terms of our national security interests.

>> dianne feinstein referred to what's going on as character assassination. why do you think that she's gotten herself caught in this? why do you think that some of the republicans on the hill are blaming her for what happened in benghazi or the way it was presented?

>> i don't think, andrea, she's gotten herself caught in anything. as i said, she has done her job and she is doing her job. there's some terrible --

>> i guess what i'm trying to ask is, why do you think they're going after her?

>> well, first of all, she was confirmed in 2009 , when she was brought forward as our united nations representative. so i have no idea. of course she's a strong, brilliant woman. she's a person who puts forth on the talk shows the information that the intelligence community had provided to her. and so i think we need to ask senator mccain and those who are attacking her why they're doing this. i think it's politically motivated and i think that they really are being very wrong in their attacks and they need to stop it because she is looking out for and has acted on behalf of the united states ' best interest .

>> barbara lee , thank you, congresswoman.