[h=3]By JAY SOLOMON[/h]Leading Republican lawmakers on Sunday tempered their criticism of diplomat Susan Rice over her handling of the terrorist attack of a consulate in Libya, suggesting the White House might avert a prolonged standoff with the Senate if she is nominated for the secretary of state post.
Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsay Graham of South Carolina have spearheaded heated GOP attacks on Ms. Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. At issue is her initial description of the Sept. 11 assault on a U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, which killed four Americans, as stemming from a protest fueled by a U.S.-made anti-Islamic video.
The two lawmakers have accused Ms. Rice of using appearances she made on Sunday talk shows in October to cover up the role of al Qaeda-linked terrorists in the attack, and that she did it for political purposes heading into the Nov. 6 presidential election. She has denied that charge, and the White House has subsequently acknowledged that terrorist groups executed the attack.
Earlier this month, Sen. McCain said Republicans should do "whatever is necessary" to block Ms. Rice from gaining Senate confirmation to become secretary of state.
Appearing Sunday on "Fox News Sunday," however, Sen. McCain said he is now open to meeting directly with Ms. Rice to discuss Benghazi and didn't restate his belief that she should be denied confirmation, if nominated. "I think she deserves the ability and the opportunity to explain herself and her position, just as she said," he said.
Sen. Graham also declined on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday to specifically call for Mr. Rice to be blocked, though he did say she and other administration officials should be held "accountable" for their actions related to Libya.
Rep. Peter King of New York, another leading critic of the administration's handling of the Libya crisis, said on "Meet the Press" that Ms. Rice has "done an effective job" as U.N. ambassador, though he stressed she had been "wrong" in how she initially described the Libya attack.
Democrats will hold a 55-45 lead in the Senate when it convenes next year, which means Republicans would have to expend considerable political capital to block a possible nomination of Ms. Rice.
Mr. Obama hasn't publicly confirmed his intention to nominate Ms. Rice to succeed Hillary Clinton as Washington's top diplomat, but he has publicly expressed confidence in her for the position, and senior administration officials said she is a front-runner.
A senior Obama administration official said GOP lawmakers may be toning down their attacks on Ms. Rice, who is African-American, in part because the Republican Party is grappling with how to increase its appeal to minorities and women, given its failings in the recent election.
Ms. Rice last Wednesday at the U.N. appeared to be in the initial stages of campaigning for a higher office. "Let me be very clear. I have great respect for Sen. McCain and his service to our country," she said in her first public comments on the criticism, on Nov. 21. "I do think that some of the statements he made about me have been unfounded, but I look forward to having the opportunity at the appropriate time to discuss all of this with him."
—Carol E. Lee contributed to this article.
Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsay Graham of South Carolina have spearheaded heated GOP attacks on Ms. Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. At issue is her initial description of the Sept. 11 assault on a U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, which killed four Americans, as stemming from a protest fueled by a U.S.-made anti-Islamic video.
The two lawmakers have accused Ms. Rice of using appearances she made on Sunday talk shows in October to cover up the role of al Qaeda-linked terrorists in the attack, and that she did it for political purposes heading into the Nov. 6 presidential election. She has denied that charge, and the White House has subsequently acknowledged that terrorist groups executed the attack.
Earlier this month, Sen. McCain said Republicans should do "whatever is necessary" to block Ms. Rice from gaining Senate confirmation to become secretary of state.
Appearing Sunday on "Fox News Sunday," however, Sen. McCain said he is now open to meeting directly with Ms. Rice to discuss Benghazi and didn't restate his belief that she should be denied confirmation, if nominated. "I think she deserves the ability and the opportunity to explain herself and her position, just as she said," he said.
Sen. Graham also declined on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday to specifically call for Mr. Rice to be blocked, though he did say she and other administration officials should be held "accountable" for their actions related to Libya.
Rep. Peter King of New York, another leading critic of the administration's handling of the Libya crisis, said on "Meet the Press" that Ms. Rice has "done an effective job" as U.N. ambassador, though he stressed she had been "wrong" in how she initially described the Libya attack.
Democrats will hold a 55-45 lead in the Senate when it convenes next year, which means Republicans would have to expend considerable political capital to block a possible nomination of Ms. Rice.
Mr. Obama hasn't publicly confirmed his intention to nominate Ms. Rice to succeed Hillary Clinton as Washington's top diplomat, but he has publicly expressed confidence in her for the position, and senior administration officials said she is a front-runner.
A senior Obama administration official said GOP lawmakers may be toning down their attacks on Ms. Rice, who is African-American, in part because the Republican Party is grappling with how to increase its appeal to minorities and women, given its failings in the recent election.
Ms. Rice last Wednesday at the U.N. appeared to be in the initial stages of campaigning for a higher office. "Let me be very clear. I have great respect for Sen. McCain and his service to our country," she said in her first public comments on the criticism, on Nov. 21. "I do think that some of the statements he made about me have been unfounded, but I look forward to having the opportunity at the appropriate time to discuss all of this with him."
—Carol E. Lee contributed to this article.