CNN reports that e-mail leaked to ABC News that has been used to attack Obama administration over Benghazi was doctored and provides false narrative.

President with National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes.

Courtesy of CNN:  

CNN has obtained an e-mail sent by a top aide to President Barack Obama about White House reaction to the deadly attack last September 11 on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, that apparently differs from how sources characterized it to two different media organizations. 

The actual e-mail from then-Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes appears to show that whomever leaked it did so in a way that made it appear that the White House was primarily concerned with the State Department's desire to remove references and warnings about specific terrorist groups so as to not bring criticism to the department. 

ABC News reported that Rhodes wrote: 

“We must make sure that the talking points reflect all agency equities, including those of the State Department, and we don’t want to undermine the FBI investigation. We thus will work through the talking points tomorrow morning at the Deputies Committee meeting.” The Weekly Standard reported that Rhodes "responded to the group, explaining that (State Department's spokeswoman, Victoria) Nuland had raised valid concerns and advising that the issues would be resolved at a meeting of the National Security Council’s Deputies Committee the following morning." 

Whoever provided those quotes seemingly invented the notion that Rhodes wanted the concerns of the State Department specifically addressed. While Nuland, particularly, had expressed a desire to remove mentions of specific terrorist groups and CIA warnings about the increasingly dangerous assignment, Rhodes put no emphasis at all in his e-mail on the State Department's concerns. 

 Here is the actual e-mail:

"All-

"Sorry to be late to this discussion. We need to resolve this in a way that respects all of the relevant equities, particularly the investigation."

“There is a ton of wrong information getting out into the public domain from Congress and people who are not particularly informed. Insofar as we have firmed up assessments that don’t compromise intel or the investigation, we need to have the capability to correct the record, as there are significant policy and messaging ramifications that would flow from a hardened mis-impression."

“We can take this up tomorrow morning at deputies.”

So WHOEVER  leaked the edited portions of this e-mail clearly did so to make it appear that the White House was concerned with covering up the fact that Benghazi might be a terrorist attack instead of trying to avoid providing a " hardened mis-impression" while intelligence gathering was still going on.

So ABC News has a serious problem on their hands, and they can start repairing the damage by firing Jonathon Karl and promising to never use the Weekly Standard (Warning! goes to Breitbart) as a source again.

On the other hand it looks like CNN is starting to do some real reporting and to repair the damage does not heir reputation during the Boston Bombing investigation.