Iran letter blowback startles GOP

[bsnub]

Some Republican senators admitted Wednesday they were caught off guard by the backlash to a letter warning Iranian leaders against a nuclear agreement with President Barack Obama. And Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Republicans — many of whom blessed the missive during a brisk signing session at a Senate lunch a week ago, as senators prepared to flee a Washington snowstorm — should have given it closer consideration.
“It was kind of a very rapid process. Everybody was looking forward to getting out of town because of the snowstorm,” McCain said. “I think we probably should have had more discussion about it, given the blowback that there is.”


On this at least, Democrats and Republicans found agreement.
“I find it hard to believe that they understood the severity of what they were doing,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).
Though none of the 47 Republican signers has expressed regret for co-signing it, the missive, authored by freshman Sen. Tom Cotton, is creating unexpected fallout in Congress. And it threatens to linger politically and legislatively.

Sensing a public relations advantage, the campaign arm for Senate Democrats on Wednesday quickly circulated newspaper op-eds criticizing Republicans who signed the missive, and strategists said the issue will soon show up in TV ads in states of vulnerable senators. Democratic leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) took to the Senate floor for a second time to blast Republican “gimmicks” on Iran and Secretary of State John Kerry called it a “stunning” breach of protocol after being teed up by a question from a Democratic senator at a committee hearing.
On the legislative front, a fragile bipartisan coalition of Iran hawks, who had been approaching a veto-proof majority for legislation that could potentially scuttle any U.S.-Iran nuclear agreement, was showing signs of cracking, as some centrist senators warned they were close to backing away from the measure.
Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, said in an interview he currently backs the legislation designed to give the Senate more input on a nuclear deal, but he cautioned that the Iran letter is making him think twice.
“If I’m not convinced that this issue can be handled on the merits and not on a partisan basis,” he said, “then I’m going to change my mind.”
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee wasted little time in using negative coverage of the letter as grist for the campaign trail. Throughout the day officials took aim at vulnerable incumbents by blasting out a series of newspaper editorials including one from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which wrote that Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and his colleagues should be “ashamed” for signing the letter.

In an interview, Toomey said he “didn’t have any particular anticipation of the level of controversy” surrounding the letter. Asked whether Democratic attacks on his support for the missive will be effective, Toomey responded: “Uh, no.”
“They’ll use whatever they think works,” he said. “That letter is just the most recent case of my doing all that I can to prevent Iran from having a nuclear bomb.”
Ohio’s Democratic former governor and current Senate candidate, Ted Strickland, lit into GOP incumbent Sen. Rob Portman for his “reckless” support of the letter. In an interview, Portman said he wasn’t even aware of the attack from Strickland or of Democrats’ circulation of a Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial that bashed the “usually rational” senator.
Instead, Portman said Democrats, especially those in the White House, are viewing the letter all wrong.
“We need a verifiable, strong agreement with Iran. And I think the letter helps us get there,” Portman said. “The Iranians are tough negotiators. [The White House] shouldn’t view it politically. They should use it to try to get a better agreement.”
But there appeared to be little hope of turning back the clock on the politicization elicited by the letter, and multiple Democratic strategists predicted there would be more political repercussions to come for Republicans. One said there’s “no question” that Democrats will run ads attacking Republicans who signed onto the letter.

Republicans say they are ready for it. In an interview, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi said Democratic attacks on the Iran issue will be no more effective than the dissipating “wailing and gnashing of teeth” over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s invitation by House Republican leaders to address a joint a meeting of Congress.
“They do so at their peril. I think they really are dancing on a pin there,” Wicker said.
The Cotton letter elevated an already tense atmosphere in the Capitol as the Iranian negotiations entered their final weeks.
Though Cotton has insisted that Democratic senators were approached about the letter, neither Bob Casey of Pennsylvania nor hawks like Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said they had been approached. POLITICO was unable to locate a Democrat who was aware of the letter before it became public.
“I’d like to know what Democrat he approached,” said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.).
In January, Democrats informed Obama they would not vote for the sanctions bill on the Senate floor until after the March 24 deadline, and last week they set a similar deadline on legislation from Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) that would let Congress weigh in on an Iran deal.
Casey said he still supports an Iran sanctions bill but bemoaned that a letter was sent with such a partisan tilt.

“It’s not helpful, I can say that for sure,” Casey said. “Everything that has been done with the Iranian nuclear issue for years has been bipartisan. Why would people go in the direction of not having it bipartisan?”
Corker abstained from signing the letter over fears it would hurt his drive toward a veto-proof majority in support of his legislation to let Congress weigh in on an Iran deal, and Democrats lauded his stance. But his colleagues’ signatures still caused damage among the 10 Democrats who have expressed support for his measure.
“Right now, I’m in. But I’m waiting to see further developments,” said King. “The irony here is I believe we were headed toward a very substantial majority if not a veto-proof majority.”

Read more: Iran letter blowback startles GOP - Burgess Everett - POLITICO

[harrybarracuda]

McCain blames the weather.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Republicans — many of whom blessed the missive during a brisk signing session at a Senate lunch a week ago, as senators prepared to flee a Washington snowstorm — should have given it closer consideration.
“It was kind of a very rapid process. Everybody was looking forward to getting out of town because of the snowstorm,” McCain said. “I think we probably should have had more discussion about it, given the blowback that there is.”

[Humbert]

And Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Republicans — many of whom blessed the missive during a brisk signing session at a Senate lunch a week ago, as senators prepared to flee a Washington snowstorm — should have given it closer consideration.

Typical John McCain stupidity. This is the guy who has never done anything but fuck up starting with coming in last in his graduating class at the Naval Academy and then crashing his plane in North Viet Nam. The guy who actually willfully chose Sarah Palin to be his running mate.

[Latindancer]

The guy who actually willfully chose Sarah Palin to be his running mate.

Aaaargh !

[bsnub]

Stupidity is rife within the GOP and this is further testimony. The fact that they all signed off on this open letter just so they could get out of dodge to avoid a snowstorm reinforces that point.

[bsnub]

TEHRAN — Iran’s highest leader issued a sharp response Thursday to a letter to the country’s leadership by Republican lawmakers, deriding it as an indication that Washington is “disintegrating” from within.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, said the letter warning that any nuclear deal could be scrapped by a new president was “a sign of a decline in political ethics and the destruction of the American establishment from within.” The statement was posted on his website.

Ayatollah Khamenei, who will have the final say in Iran over a nuclear deal, characterized the open letter written by 47 Republican senators on Monday as a reflection of Washington’s decadence.


“All countries, according to the international norms, remain faithful to their commitments even after their governments change, but the American senators are officially announcing that at the end of the term of their current government, their commitments will be considered null and void,” Ayatollah Khamenei wrote.


Most surprising perhaps was the fact that Ayatollah Khamenei appeared to continue to support the nuclear talks, despite the Republicans’ threats that they, or a possible Republican president in 2017, would try to undo any deal made.
Ayatollah Khamenei has often expressed doubts about American intentions and sincerity in the negotiations, but on Thursday he supported Iran’s negotiating team, as he has frequently in recent weeks. Speaking to members of the Assembly of Experts, a council that theoretically has the constitutional authority to appoint and dismiss the supreme leader, he called them “good and caring people, who work for the country.”
In Iran, as in the United States, conservatives tend to distrust the other side in the negotiations and are thought to prefer that the whole effort come to nothing. But as long as the supreme leader is voicing support for the talks, criticism from the hard-liners will be muted.


Nevertheless, Ayatollah Khamenei warned that it remains important for Iran’s team to be vigilant, saying that when deadlines in the talks loom, the opponents harden their positions. “Of course, I am worried because the other side is a sneaky and crafty one who stabs with a dagger in your back,” he said.
Ayatollah Khamenei also noted that the recent speech to Congress by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu — whom he referred to as a “Zionist clown” — had led to division in Washington. “Some American officials, who did not want to side with him, made some remarks,” he wrote.
He repeated remarks that the Islamic State militant group, referring to it by its Arabic name, Daesh, is an American invention.
“America and its allies in the region have created the most evil and wicked terrorists like Daesh, but accuse Iran of committing such acts,” he said.


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/wo...ear-talks.html

[Black Heart]

Some Republican senators admitted Wednesday they were caught off guard by the backlash to a letter warning Iranian leaders against a nuclear agreement with President Barack Obama. And Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Republicans — many of whom blessed the missive during a brisk signing session at a Senate lunch a week ago, as senators prepared to flee a Washington snowstorm — should have given it closer consideration.
“It was kind of a very rapid process. Everybody was looking forward to getting out of town because of the snowstorm,” McCain said. “I think we probably should have had more discussion about it, given the blowback that there is.”

For the umpteenth time, over several decades, we are again assured how dense and shallow John McCain is.

Old fool, will you please just leave to die.....

[sabang]

the other side is a sneaky and crafty one who stabs with a dagger in your back,

They even stab themselves in the back.

[Boon Mee]

Barack Obama, John Kerry, the Liberal Mainstream Media and Democrats are SHOCKED at the Republican Senators’ insistence that the White House follow the US Constitution.

Barack Obama today told VICE News that he was “embarrassed” for Republicans sending a letter to Iran this week. Senate Republicans reminded the brutal untrustworthy regime that the Constitution clearly states that Congress will have a say in international treaties."



Democrats were appalled.
They’ve never had a problem in the past with treasonous Americans but suddenly a note to the Ayatollahs explaining the separation of powers is “embarrassing” and not acceptable.



Democrats loved it when Jane Fonda rode a tank for the Vietcong.

[BobR]

The Obama Administration showed it's utter contempt for Congress and the Reublicans a few years back when they deliberately lied to Congress over operation "Fast and Furious, which was a failed attempt to trace the source of American guns flowing into Mexico and used by drug gangs. First they denied the existence, then Obama's worthless Attorney General Holder refused to testify and was cited for contempt of Congress.
Obama is just getting the same treatment (contempt and lack of respect) he showed Congressional Republicans when his party had the majority.

The disgusting 18 minute phony applause given the Israeli PM when he spoke before Congress a few weeks back left little doubt about the ridiculous amount of influence Israel (Iran's enemy) has over Washington. As mentioned elsewhere, history shows we've done enough damage to Iran.

[bsnub]

Obama is just getting the same treatment (contempt and lack of respect) he showed Congressional Republicans when his party had the majority.

At the expense of the entire world. Pathetic, petty and it shows that the GOP has this country in a death spiral to the bottom.

[BobR]

Obama is just getting the same treatment (contempt and lack of respect) he showed Congressional Republicans when his party had the majority.

At the expense of the entire world. Pathetic, petty and it shows that the GOP has this country in a death spiral to the bottom.

Politely and respectfully, do you really think the Democrats are not equally guilty of causing America's death spiral, or that they are not just as much owned and controlled by The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and campaign contribution money?

[bsnub]

^ The democratic party is not near as petty and hypocritical as the GOP. It also does not hold antiquated and bigoted views. That is enough difference for me, I could add more but I think that is enough.

With regards to being owned by Israel or special interest in general of course they are all bought and paid for. It turns out that one happens to be more destructive than the other at the moment.

I have made it clear that I think that the US is no democracy and really never has been but today it is worse than ever. All that it is today is an empty corporate oligarchy.

[BobR]

^ Agree 100%

[RPETER65]

Stupidity is rife within the GOP and this is further testimony. The fact that they all signed off on this open letter just so they could get out of dodge to avoid a snowstorm reinforces that point.

How quickly we forget. In 1970 John Kerry while still in the navy reserves met in Paris with Madam Binh, the chief Vietnamese negotiator, while the President was trying to negotiate a halt to the Vietnam war. Now as the Secretary of State John Kerry is the first one to cry foul, over a latter sent by Congressman Colton, and signed by forty seven other congressman, to the govt. of Iran explaining how the U.S. treaty process works.Is this not the epitomy of a hypocrit.

[bsnub]

atter sent by Congressman Colton, and signed by forty seven other congressman, to the govt. of Iran explaining how the U.S. treaty process works.

Are you stupid enough to think that the Senators who signed that letter did so as a courtesy to explain how the treaty process works (something most of them do not seem to grasp)? It was nothing more than a threat and a grossly irresponsible one that has greatly damaged American credibility in the international community.

In 1970 John Kerry while still in the navy reserves met in Paris with Madam Binh, the chief Vietnamese negotiator, while the President was trying to negotiate a halt to the Vietnam war.

Bull! That is completely false.

"Kerry had no role whatsoever in the Paris peace talks or negotiations ... He did not engage in any negotiations and did not attend any session of the talks. Prior to his Senate testimony, he went to Paris on a private trip, where he had one brief meeting with Madam Binh [leader of the Provisional Revolutionary Government] and others. In an effort to find facts, he learned the status of the peace talks from their point of view and about any progress in resolving the conflict, particularly as it related to the fate of the POWs."

Kerry spoke of meeting negotiators on Vietnam - The Boston Globe


Nice try.

[Boon Mee]

The Obama Administration showed it's utter contempt for Congress and the Reublicans a few years back when they deliberately lied to Congress over operation "Fast and Furious, which was a failed attempt to trace the source of American guns flowing into Mexico and used by drug gangs. First they denied the existence, then Obama's worthless Attorney General Holder refused to testify and was cited for contempt of Congress.
Obama is just getting the same treatment (contempt and lack of respect) he showed Congressional Republicans when his party had the majority.

The disgusting 18 minute phony applause given the Israeli PM when he spoke before Congress a few weeks back left little doubt about the ridiculous amount of influence Israel (Iran's enemy) has over Washington. As mentioned elsewhere, history shows we've done enough damage to Iran.

Got that right

[RPETER65]

atter sent by Congressman Colton, and signed by forty seven other congressman, to the govt. of Iran explaining how the U.S. treaty process works.

Are you stupid enough to think that the Senators who signed that letter did so as a courtesy to explain how the treaty process works (something most of them do not seem to grasp)? It was nothing more than a threat and a grossly irresponsible one that has greatly damaged American credibility in the international community.

In 1970 John Kerry while still in the navy reserves met in Paris with Madam Binh, the chief Vietnamese negotiator, while the President was trying to negotiate a halt to the Vietnam war.

Bull! That is completely false.



"Kerry had no role whatsoever in the Paris peace talks or negotiations ... He did not engage in any negotiations and did not attend any session of the talks. Prior to his Senate testimony, he went to Paris on a private trip, where he had one brief meeting with Madam Binh [leader of the Provisional Revolutionary Government] and others. In an effort to find facts, he learned the status of the peace talks from their point of view and about any progress in resolving the conflict, particularly as it related to the fate of the POWs."

Kerry spoke of meeting negotiators on Vietnam - The Boston Globe


Nice try.

I would suggest you read up on the Logan act if you think Kerry's meeting with Madan Binh did not violate U.S. Law.

It is absolutely not B.S. Kerry did meet with Madam Binh while the U.S. President was negotiating an end to the Vietnam war. What is B.S. Is that you know anything about what Kerry and Binh discussed, there eating was private, the only thing you know is what Kerry had to say, if you actually what he said you are a bigger baboon than I thought.

[bsnub]

I would suggest you read up on the Logan act if you think Kerry's meeting with Madan Binh did not violate U.S. Law.

First off you get all your information from rightwing blogs. You have misquoted the constitution numerous times and displayed that not only are you ill educated of its contents you are much less able to interpret it. Secondly I doubt you have read or even knew what the logan act was until this debacle blew up in the face of the GOP senate.

It is absolutely not B.S. Kerry did meet with Madam Binh while the U.S. President was negotiating an end to the Vietnam war.

No one is disputing that not even John Kerry himself. You got this off a right wing blog that is simply trying to deflect blame from those 47 idiots.

No one save a few angry old bigots care that Kerry met with Madam Binh almost 50 years ago. The only way that Kerry could be in violation of the Logan act is if it can be proven that he attempted to negotiate with Madam Binh something he denied from the start and something not you or anyone else can prove otherwise.

The same can not be said of the 47 senators.

if you actually what he said you are a bigger baboon than I thought.

Use proper grammar and I may respond to you.

[RPETER65]

I would suggest you read up on the Logan act if you think Kerry's meeting with Madan Binh did not violate U.S. Law.

First off you get all your information from rightwing blogs. You have misquoted the constitution numerous times and displayed that not only are you ill educated of its contents you are much less able to interpret it. Secondly I doubt you have read or even knew what the logan act was until this debacle blew up in the face of the GOP senate.

It is absolutely not B.S. Kerry did meet with Madam Binh while the U.S. President was negotiating an end to the Vietnam war.

No one is disputing that not even John Kerry himself. You got this off a right wing blog that is simply trying to deflect blame from those 47 idiots.

No one save a few angry old bigots care that Kerry met with Madam Binh almost 50 years ago. The only way that Kerry could be in violation of the Logan act is if it can be proven that he attempted to negotiate with Madam Binh something he denied from the start and something not you or anyone else can prove otherwise.

The same can not be said of the 47 senators.

if you actually what he said you are a bigger baboon than I thought.

Use proper grammar and I may respond to you.

Actually I could care less whether you respond or not, I don't see much value in what you post. Mostly your pathetic hate for any conservative position.

As far as where Ingot my information you couldn't be more wrong, why don't you get over your anger problems and post something of meaning.

Well there in lies the problem, just that he met with the chief Vietnam negotiator is more than a minor problem for him as he was still in the navy as a reserve he committed the crime of meeting with one of the leaders of Vietnam when we were at war with them, but like every thing else political no one has the balls to bring these things to a federal court.

And then there is the problem of you thinking that every one in the U.S. Should agree with you, calling U.S. A bunch of angry old big goats because they don't believe as you do. Get over it the U.S. Is a large country with a diverse beliefs of what is right for U.S., and yours seem to be heading into the minority, have you forgotten the thrashings you liberals to ok in the midterms.

The Logan act is a federal statute making it a crime for a citizen to confer with foreign govts. against the interests of the United States.

[pseudolus]

So funny seeing you guy STILL thinking that this is anything other than a sideshow to distract you. No matter who wins the next election, Iran will get the US attention sooner or later because the khazars have already set their mind to it.

[RPETER65]

Even after the whooha by the democrats over Tom Cottons letter to Iran the senate is near the votes required for a veto proof vote on legislation that would require congressional approval of any deal between Obama and Iran.
Brieghtbart News

[bsnub]

With this one question, CBS anchor Bob Schieffer leveld Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and his treasonous letter to Iran, leaving the freshman senator no choice but to smile nervously and change the subject desperately.
“The fact that President Obama doesn’t see this letter as way to get more leverage at the negotiating table just underscores that he is not negotiating for the hardest deal possible,” Cotton said.
Then, Schieffer set his sights on the freshman senator and unloaded a piercing question:

“Are you planning to contact any other of our adversaries?” Schieffer asked. “Do you plan to check with the North Koreans to make sure they know any deal has to be approved by the Congress?”
Cotton smiled nervously and changed the subject in desperation: “Right now I and most every other senator is focused on stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.”
Nice try, Cotton.
Kudos to Schieffer for exposing Cotton’s letter as the dangerous the dangerous, reckless political sabotage that it is. If Republicans are not pen pals with Iran, what is next? North Korea? Unfortunately, it seems increasingly less far-fetched.
Watch the clip below:


youtube.com/watch?v=UKLE9xLZQgM

[harrybarracuda]

Even after the whooha by the democrats over Tom Cottons letter to Iran the senate is near the votes required for a veto proof vote on legislation that would require congressional approval of any deal between Obama and Iran.
Brieghtbart News

Oh please give us a link to that one.

[RPETER65]

Even after the whooha by the democrats over Tom Cottons letter to Iran the senate is near the votes required for a veto proof vote on legislation that would require congressional approval of any deal between Obama and Iran.
Brieghtbart News

Oh please give us a link to that one.

Politico