Romney: Obama's Appointment of Rice 'Disappointing'

Mitt Romney says President Barack Obama's choice of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice as national security adviser is "a disappointing appointment" because she misled the American people about what happened in Benghazi, Libya last year.

"I think what she did was to very seriously mislead the American people about what happened in Benghazi. My greatest concern about the Benghazi events was the fact there was not a rescue effort attempted.And that is very troubling to me," the 2012 GOP presidential nominee said in an interview with CNN to be broadcast Thursday.

Romney's criticism adds to the chorus of Republicans who have denounced the selection of Rice as the president's chief adviser on national security and intelligence matters in light of her public explanation that the attack on a U.S. diplomatic post last September in Benghazi stemmed from anti-Muslim video. The administration later acknowledged that the attack was carried out by an al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist faction.

The CNN interview is being aired as Romney opens an issues conference Thursday in Park City, Utah attended by major Republican figures, including possible 2016 presidential contenders, Sen. Rand Paul, Rep. Paul Ryan, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.