Mitch McConnell to Obama: ‘Tone down the rhetoric’ on Iran

[jpak]

Source: Washington Post

A day after President Obama suggested that Iranian hardliners and congressional Republicans had found "common cause" in opposing the recently negotiated nuclear accord, the Senate's top Republican accused him of trafficking in "crass political rhetoric" as he tries to sell lawmakers on the keystone of his foreign policy agenda.

"The president strikes me, at least so far, as treating this like a political campaign," McConnell said. "Demonize your opponents, gin up the base, get the Democrats all angry and, you know, rally around the president."

McConnell spoke during an unusually freewheeling 30-minute news conference, held the day after the Senate adjourned for its month-long summer recess. He sought to promote the accomplishments of the first Republican Senate majority in eight years, which includes the passage of major education, defense and transportation bills, as well as the approval of fast-track presidential trade authority and legislation establishing a formal congressional review of the Iran deal.

[Senate sets Iran debate for September after five-week break]

But an autumn of drama awaits, with a possible government shutdown looming at September's end, as well as a papal visit, another possible showdown over the federal debt limit, and more. First, though, the Senate will take up the Iran nuclear deal, which, under the review law, Congress has until Sept. 17 to review.

<more>

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/08/06/mitch-mcconnell-to-obama-tone-down-the-rhetoric-on-iran/

---

lol

[geek tragedy]

1. lulz how he says this shit with a straight face, it's amazing nt

[hobbit709]

2. The post turtle speaks.

[Xipe Totec]

13. The prostiturtle nt

[blackspade]

18. LOL!

Nothing but win.

[silvershadow]

3. Translation: Stop pointing out the obvious. nt

[Lil Missy]

4. Well, Mr. hyperbole himself is a special little snowflake, isn't he. n/t

[Kber]

5. Why? Goes the GOP own a patent or something?

[olddots]

6. yo Mitch

Bite the world's ass !

[irisblue]

7. Too bad, so sad considering the things you & your buddies have said. n/t

[fbc]

8. Mitch you are on the side of Iranian religious extremists... own it you coward.

[benld74]

9. "crass political rhetoric"=Turtleman and the Orange Man

[AllFieldsRequired]

10. American Citizen to Mitch McConnell: "Stop trying to destroy America please"

[onethatcares]

11. how the hell does he

stand in front of his base and say "We gave President Barrack Hussein Obama fast track authority to control your jobs"? and not get pilloried by them?

[neverforget]

12. Who knew that tough talkers like McConnell had a glass jaw?

[muntrv]

14. Project much, Mitch? I say a much too much!

[kentauros]

22. Republicans are Masters at projection,

probably because they use it so much. It's been quite successful for them with their base, so much so that the base projects in the same way with the same message.

We don't need to get angry with them when they project. They truly can't help doing it at this stage. Laughter or pity is the better reaction to them.

[McKim]

15. What a Statment!

McConnell and friends have been spouting inflammatory rhetoric at Obama for years, he pushes back and they whine like bablies!

[concreteblue]

16. Does Mitch really think anybody does not see through him at this point???!!!!

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much"

[blackspade]

17. "crass political rhetoric"???

That's rich coming from this demogoging asshole.

More projection from the turtle man.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

29. So is the turtle jealous because PBO does it better than they do?

[Gidney N Cloyd]

19. Mitch, you set the tone when you and 46 of your teasonous* colleagues signed that Iran letter!

(*See what I did there?)
Drove me NUTS hearing Joe Scar with his butthurt 'people of good faith can differ' BS this morning as he launched today's talking points. No one on the panel figured the Iran letter was worth mentioning.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/03/10/heres-a-list-of-the-gop-senators-who-signed-the-iran-letter/

Tensions between the White House and congressional Republicans escalated Monday after 47 Republican senators sent a letter to Iran’s leaders intended to hinder the administration's efforts to reach a nuclear deal with the country.

The White House issued a sharp rebuke Monday night, with Vice President Joe Biden calling the tactic “beneath the dignity of an institution I revere.”

The letter, spearheaded by Sen. Tom Cotton, was signed by 47 Republican senators. Seven GOP senators did not sign. Here's who signed:

Signatories:
Richard Shelby (Ala.)
Jeff Sessions (Ala.)
Dan Sullivan (Alaska)
John McCain (Ariz.)
John Boozman (Ark.)
Tom Cotton (Ark.)
Cory Gardner (Colo.)
Marco Rubio (Fla.)
Johnny Isakson (Ga.)
David Perdue (Ga.)
Mike Crapo (Idaho)
Jim Risch (Idaho)
Mark Kirk (Ill.)
Chuck Grassley (Iowa)
Joni Ernst (Iowa)
Pat Roberts (Kansas)
Jerry Moran (Kansas)
Mitch McConnell (Ky.)
Rand Paul (Ky.)
David Vitter (La.)
Bill Cassidy (La.)
Roger Wicker (Miss.)
Roy Blunt (Mo.)
Steve Daines (Mont.)
Deb Fischer (Neb.)
Ben Sasse (Neb.)
Dean Heller (Nev.)
Kelly Ayotte (N.H.)
Richard Burr (N.C.)
Thom Tillis (N.C.)
John Hoeven (N.D.)
Rob Portman (Ohio)
Jim Inhofe (Okla.)
James Lankford (Okla.)
Pat Toomey (Pa.)
Lindsey Graham (S.C.)
Tim Scott (S.C.)
John Thune (S.D.)
Mike Rounds (S.D.)
John Cornyn (Texas)
Ted Cruz (Texas)
Orin Hatch (Utah)
Mike Lee (Utah)
Shelley Moore Capito (W.V.)
Ron Johnson (Wis.)
Mike Enzi (Wyo.)
John Barrasso (Wyo.)

Did not sign:
Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
Jeff Flake (Ariz.)
Daniel Coats (Ind.)
Susan Collins (Maine)
Thad Cochran (Miss.)
Lamar Alexander (Tenn.)
Bob Corker (Tenn.)

[mwooldri]

20. I have here the world's smallest violin...

... and it's playing Senator McTurtle's tune.

[rocktivity]

21. TRANSLATION: McConnell to Obama: "Tone down the victory lap you're running

because you defeated us on Iran"


rocktivity

[riversedge]

23. crybaby

[tblue37]

24. Now, that's rich! nt

[Yallow]

25. Republican Alternative In 3, 2, 1 ....

Yeah, sure buddy.

Republicans obviously want more war. It is the only option they know.

Killem all and cash in!!!!

I bet Mitch owns a bunch of MIC stocks!!!!

[dhill926]

26. Go munch on a minnow…

Ya turtle faced prick…

[heaven05]

27. I just wish , just once

and I know my President is too smooth for this, but I just wish he'd tell that useless lump of flesh where to go and what to do before he leaves for hell.

[the_sly_pig]

28. Turtle-head

In more than one way....

[no_hypocrisy]

30. Hypocrisy and Freudian Projection.

Nice try Mitch.

[Arkana]

31. Fuck you a million times, Mitch.

[karynnj]

32. yes, how dare the president oppose neo con policies

No matter that the last 2 decades and before show that they are not just immoral, but completely counter productive.

Where we are now shows how brave Obama was to affect change. Note McConnell did not ask a certain foreign leader to rein in his retoric. He also has no problem with millions being spent against it.

One thing that has been infuriating is that media sources like the WP and NYT have positioned neo cons as the elder voices of reason and Obama, Kerry et al as naive. This ignores true foreign policy elders like Dick Lugar who support this.

If this is defeated, it will destroy Obama's ability to do anything more on foreign policy, something the constitution really did give to the executive branch. I suspect it also really will put us against the world.

[sakabatou]

33. Oh, that's rich.