Republicans grill State Dept. at Benghazi hearing

>>> today, in washington, a lot of republicans in congress had a lot of questions about the obama mission, about the night in benghazi, when a sudden and strong attack took the lives of our u.s. ambassador , and at the american consulate there, along with three other americans our report tonight from our chief foreign affairs correspondent, andrea mitchell .

>> reporter: sparking the confrontation, the two security offices from the consulate who said the requests were either turned down or ignored.

>> we were fighting a losing battle. we couldn't even keep away we were not allowed to keep what we had.

>> it was very clear we were not going to get resources until the aftermath of the incident.

>> reporter: republicans accused them of lying regarding the protests over an anti-muslim video.

>> there was no protest, and cameras reveal that.

>> this was never about a video's it was never spontaneous, it was terror, i want to know why we were lied to.

>> reporter: this after the comments from susan rice , days after the attack.

>> the current assessment, what happened in benghazi, was initially a spontaneous reaction to what happened in cairo.

>> reporter: in fact, they acknowledged there never was a protest, always quiet until at knight, when all hell broke loose, with dozens breaking through. they rushed to christopher stevens's bunker, they started the fire, unable to see or breathe through heavy smoke, the ambassador and one body guard tried to get out through a bathroom window. the agent got out, then lost stevens in the thick, black smoke , his body turned up later. they identified him only hours after the cell phone call sinai never have seen this type.

>> reporter: today, the white house acknowledges mistakes.

>> there is no question when four american personnel are killed in an attack on the diplomatic security, that the facility was not adequate the diplomatic facility.

>> reporter: mitt romney mentioned a conversation wit

>> reporter: mitt romney mentioned a conversation with glenn doherty, one of the former navy s.e.a.l.s killed in the attack.

>> i met some wonderful people, one a former navy s.e.a.l.

>> reporter: later, the campaign said he wouldn't mention it again. his mother said he shouldn't make that a part of the political agenda. tonight, they accused them of misleading, and demanded straight answers, the white house is trying to find answers with both the state department and the review board, now both investigating what went wrong.