Schumer Bucks Obama on Iran
Could this spell trouble for the Iran deal?
Uh oh. Could this spell trouble for Barack Obama’s Iran deal? “[A]fter study, careful thought and considerable soul-searching, I have decided I must oppose the agreement and will vote yes on a motion of disapproval,” announced Sen. Chuck Schumer Thursday. Schumer is the Democrats’ leader-in-waiting, and his defection (complete with a long list of objections) could prompt other Democrats to follow suit. We still doubt it will be enough to override an inevitable veto, but it could make things tight. “The fact is we don’t need Congress to approve this deal,” scoffed Obama spokesman Josh Earnest. “We just need Congress not to screw it up.” Such arrogant animosity comes straight from the top. On Wednesday, Obama compared Republicans opposed to his deal — “the strongest non-proliferation agreement ever negotiated” — to Iranian hardliners. “In fact, it’s those hardliners who are most comfortable with the status quo. It’s those hardliners chanting ‘death to America’ who have been most opposed to the deal. They are making a common cause with the Republican caucus.” He then doubled down, saying Thursday, “What I said is absolutely true, factually.” No, it’s not, but that’s hardly news. We suppose the inevitable question then is whether Obama thinks Schumer, a Jew, is also making common cause with Iran’s hardliners. Do tell.
- Tags:
- Chuck Schumer
- Iran
- nuclear deal
- Senate