(MCT) — WASHINGTON — Republican opposition to the potential nomination of United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice as secretary of state appeared to harden Tuesday after she met behind closed doors with three key Republican senators.

What was supposed to be a session to clear the air and lower tensions seemed to have had the opposite effect as Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona said they’d left their morning meeting with Rice and acting CIA Director Michael Morell with more questions than answers about comments she’d made in the initial aftermath of the deadly attack Sept. 11 on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya.