"It's dead. Completely dead. The House, for sure, it's not even going to be close."

[Catherina]

Back in the Bubble, Will Congress Shift on Syria?
Getting lawmakers back to Washington, and away from constituents who oppose a Syria strike, is Obama's last shot at securing support.

By Shane Goldmacher
September 9, 2013 | 6:00 a.m.

(image)
The White House cranks up the pressure with classified, in-person briefings this week. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Obama's best – and perhaps last – chance to convince reluctant members of Congress to support a Syria strike may be simply getting them out of their districts and back inside the Beltway bubble.

With constituent phone calls and emails running overwhelming against intervention, proponents of striking Syria for the alleged use of chemical weapons are banking on getting lawmakers away from boisterous anti-war town halls and into somber, classified briefings about the details of chemical warfare and the costs of inaction.

The first big test will come on Monday evening, when top Obama administration officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, are scheduled to deliver a classified briefing for the entire House.

...

"It's dead. Completely dead," Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., an opponent of intervention and member of the House Intelligence Committee, told National Journal. "The House, for sure, it's not even going to be close." Nunes, elected in 2002, added he has "never been so sure about something in my whole career here."

...

The offensive comes as media-created vote tallies show Obama in deep trouble on a Syria war-authorization measure. Still, congressional nose-counters and strike proponents, which include both House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Republican House Speaker John Boehner, note that the majority of lawmakers still have not received classified briefings. "It's premature," said a Pelosi aide of the tallies.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., an opponent of involvement in Syria, explained the looming lobbying effort this way: "The strategy among leadership is to present you with a classified briefing and then, when the briefings are over, to tell you, 'Now you have more information than your constituents, so it's OK if you vote differently than they want you to vote.'"

...

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/back-in-the-bubble-will-congress-shift-on-syria-20130909

[DontTreadOnMe]

1. Yes, please get every GOP in the House on the record with their vote.

Did you ever think in your lifetime the GOP would be seen as "weak" on National Security?

Watch how Obama solves this crisis...

[spanone]

8. they hate Obama more than anything. they. will. vote. for. nothing. he. proposes.

and the President know this. imho

[whatchamacallit]

12. Such silly shit

There's no downside to voting against something Americans don't want. With this Dumbass move the president is handing the republicans a PR victory.

[kentuck]

2. It doesn't matter at this time...

They may be saved by an agreement between the WH and Russia and Syria? It will not be brought up for a vote unless it has a chance of passing, in my opinion.

[Catherina]

4. We can only hope. The Saudis and Qatar are very determined

and Obama has been clearly warned that it's a war crime to attack Syria illegally. So much time (since 2001) and money has gone into preparing this that Obama may not be given a choice by people with more clout than us little people. If they still pressure him, the very least he'll want is Congressional approval down the road.

I hope the agreement works but this was never about chemical weapons.

[nashville_brook]

6. hell no it wasn't about CW -- Kerry's remarks leading to the proposed solution prove this

it's obvious he regretted saying it as he was saying it.

[truedelphi]

10. Say, do you have a link? I beleive you, but i would like

To read his remarks.

From many websites, the consensus seems to be that the whole crew looks terribly under prepared or downright stupid. Rice, Kerry, even Obama. They wanted a war, couldn't bring themselves to call it that, had no strategy, or game plan, and couldn't prove what they were saying about who was responsible for the sarin gas, and last but not least, couldn't explain how the world might avoid ending up worse after some type of "non-war" military adventure.

[dtom67]

3. there is a lot of money to be made.....

so I have to believe that the War profiteers are gonna press very hard to get their congressmen to deliver. I predict much "swooning" over the speech tomorrow( the President WILL have his shirt on, however ) and a close victory for "action" ( random killing to make ourselves feel superior ) in Congress.
Saudi will not pay for it, though. They are already paying our terrorist allies on the ground.

would love to be wrong....

[Catherina]

5. I'm of your opinion but I hope we're wrong too. n/t

[Le Taz Hot]

7. I just called his office Friday

as well as Boxer's office. Nunes would have completely support intervention had there been an R in the WH. But being that he's your average weasel Republican, if Obama's fer it he must be agin it.

[Catherina]

9. Probably (Nunes). What reply did you get from Boxer's office?

Thanks for calling

[Le Taz Hot]

11. Yes, Nunes.

(Having a D'oh! moment there.) Boxer's office was non-committal but they absolutely recognized my name (I used to work for her -- non-paying position) and told them a "yes" vote would be a deal-breaker for me.

[Catherina]

13. I think they're shocked at how determined we are

That's the same message I gave mine though I suspect your delivery was more polite.

[avaistheone1]

14. How did your call with Boxer go?

[Le Taz Hot]

15. See post 11