Harry Reid endorses Iran deal, giving boost to Obama’s supporters

[cal04]

Last edited Sun Aug 23, 2015, 04:26 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Washington Post

Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid gave a forceful endorsement Sunday to the nuclear deal with Iran, a key boost that provides continued momentum for preventing Congress from blocking President Obama’s pact.

The Nevada Democrat said the deal, which lifts economic sanctions against the rogue nation for pledges to limit its nuclear program, is the “best way” to curtail Iran’s military ambitions, and he pledged to round up more support to thwart its opponents.

“I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure the deal stands,” he said in a telephone interview with The Washington Post from his home in Henderson, Nev., where he has been calling friends to tell them of his decision.

The retiring Democratic leader becomes the 27th Senate Democrat to publicly endorse the plan, while just two — including Reid’s friend and likely successor, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) — have come out against it.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/harry-reid-endorses-iran-deal-giving-boost-to-obamas-supporters/2015/08/23/8fb89a40-49c0-11e5-846d-02792f854297_story.html

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Sen. Harry Reid
I strongly support the historic agreement with Iran and will do everything in my power to ensure that it stands.
https://twitter.com/SenatorReid/status/635537098968313857

Sam Stein
Reid’s office confirms he will be whipping support for the Iran deal in the coming days/weeks
https://twitter.com/samsteinhp

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. Good

[Fred Sanders]

2. House is locked down and the fascists are now struggling to get 60 in the Senate.

The opinion and weight of the entire world versus the rouge GOP and Israel can not be denied.

Loved how Britain just opened an embassy in Tehran...a big, big fuck you to the traitors of the world.

The world is with Obama.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/07/the-iran-debate-moves-on/399713/

Partial list:

— More than 100 former U.S. ambassadors, career and political alike, and from both parties, who signed a similar public letter endorsing the deal. It begins, “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran stands as a landmark agreement in deterring the proliferation of nuclear weapons.”

— More than 60 American “national-security leaders”—politicians, military officers, strategists, Republicans and Democrats—who issued their own public letter urging Congress to approve the deal. E.g., “We congratulate President Obama and all the negotiators for a landmark agreement unprecedented in its importance for preventing the acquisition of nuclear weapons by Iran.” Here are a few Republicans who signed this letter: former Special Trade Representative Carla Hills; former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill; former Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum. Here are a few Democrats: former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell; former Defense Secretary William Perry. I’m resisting saying: But what do any of them know, compared with Mike Huckabee?

[Wellstone ruled]

3. AIPAC has the House of Reps

sewed up. And the Brits opened their Embassy in Iran today. Goes to show,there is no cure for the Stupid amongst the Republican Party Members. Never has our Government been so compromised by so few since the late 1800's and early 1900's.

[still_one]

8. Pelosi said they had the votes in the House to prevent a veto over ride

http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/08/19/pelosi-house-democrats-will-sustain-obama-veto-on-iran-deal

[bluestateguy]

4. Obama may not even have to veto their little resolution

I suspect Joe Manchin will be the only other No vote.

That would make the vote 57Y-43N, and if the cloture votes go the same way, it won't get 60 and won't pass.

[Fred Sanders]

15. The Republicans will be crushed when that happens...more crushing to come.

[Huddie94]

32. That's "57Y" who want war, who always want war.

And despite all the billions of budget dollars for war and millions of bribe dollars for war, there's still "43N" lined up to stop them.

That's hopeful.

[zentrum]

5. Good on Harry.

And Nadler (in the House, but a late decider).

Shame on Chuck Schummer.

[karynnj]

6. Great news - I hope this leads to good announcements from the other Democrats

It would be great if the resolution of disapproval could fail to even pass the Congress. Of course, the important thing is simply to be able to sustain a veto if needed.

Good For Reid!

[mountain grammy]

7. I've emailed and called my Democratic Senator, Benett, several times

urging him to support the deal. He's still undecided. The GOP prick who is my other Senator answered my email with a big "fuck you."

[markj757]

9. What most people don't realize.....

What most people don't realize about why Israel, Republicans, and Dems like Schumer don't like the Iran deal, it's not because they fear that it won't work, what they truly fear is that it will. And it will change the balance of power in the middle east for decades to come. And Israel, will simply not be able to maintain its conventional weapons qualitative military edge, regardless of the aid we continue to send them. That's why they truly fear it!!! And they know the only way to change that future now that the rest of the world is united in deal, is for the US to be in a constant state of confrontation with Iran that leads to military strikes, and their wet dream of an outcome, some type of ground war. The Prez knows it, and the world knows it, which is why this deal is one of the greatest things this Prez has done in his two terms in office. Because it will save thousands, and maybe hundreds of thousands of lives, by avoiding military confrontation with a country, that maybe on the verge of moderation, and taking its rightful place in the community of nations.

[Tom Rinaldo]

19. Fully agree. But we are winning on this but haven't won yet. Public polling opposes the deal

40 million is being spend on ads against it. We have not yet locked down all the votes we will need to guarantee this deal can't be killed. Given the stakes at risk, even if the odds strongly favor Obama winning on this, we can not afford to get complacent until all the dust finally settles.

[karynnj]

22. Exactly to both you and the post you responded to

This really is the most important vote that any one of the people will ever cast. The IWR really did not determine if Iraq would be invaded - at worse it allows the Republicans to claim the Democrats deserve the same amount of blame.

[d_legendary1]

10. Hopefully Reid's endorsement will get Chuckie to reconsider

his position on this deal.

[markj757]

11. Actually what's even better.....

Actually what's even better is that every other Senator supports the deal, and Chuckie is left with only an indicted Senator standing next to him. That has to make a bold statement about whether he truly deserves to lead Dems in the Senate. It may not be enough to change the outcome, but its make him more vulnerable than he would be otherwise.

[Tom Rinaldo]

17. That's incorrect right now.

The Washington Post count has 8 Democrats undecided, one leaning No, and two only hesitantly leaning yes. We are not home free yet.

[d_legendary1]

20. I didn't think about that one.

It adds more weight to Reid's decision. Bravo Mr. Reid. Bravo.

[Tom Rinaldo]

12. The Washington Post is keeping an ongoing Whip Tally

Last updated on the 20th, everY Senator is included broken down by Yes, leaning Yes, No, leaning No, or Undecided - and it includes quotes from each of their current positions:

Leaning Yes but hesitant includes:
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) & Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.)

Purely undecided is a big group at 8, including:

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sen Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.),
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.): Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.),
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.).

LEANING NO INCLUDES Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/

[Fred Sanders]

14. Wyden is leaning No? Why? What Party does he belong to? It is not Likud, is it??

[Tom Rinaldo]

16. Here's the quote they have from Wyden

" I was skeptical that Iran’s leaders would agree to dismantle their nuclear weapons program and I have questions about whether this agreement accomplishes that, particularly in light of Iran’s history on this issue."

Wyden is the ONLY Democrat they list as leaning No, though some of the undecided really worry me.

[Fred Sanders]

18. Is Wyden also an armchair nuclear physicist? Why is he voting against the constituency that elected

him and for the Party pledging it's allegiance to a foreign power and a foreign President rather than his own leader??

Not to mention voting against the weight of opinion of the entire world....game changer for me on Wyden.

[geek tragedy]

21. Rand Wyden: good on NSA, bad on Iran and TPP.

Just like the guy with the funny hair from Kentucky.

[davidpdx]

26. Thanks for letting us know about Wyden

I'm an Oregonian and will be writing him often from now until the vote.

[Fred Sanders]

13. Incorrect headline. The failure of the GOP to block the Iran deal boosts the supporters of PEACE.

And logic.

[humbled_opinion]

23. How do we stop Iran

From using the $150 billion that will be returned to them when the sanctions are lifted, from funding terror ops? The future politics of this is horrifying. In fact this deal may actually be the catalyst to start war between Israel and Iran...

[geek tragedy]

25. The point is to prevent them from developing nukes

These are nuclear sanctions, not "stop antagonizing Israel" sanctions.

They have a lot of need to spend that money at home.

Iran and Israel have been in proxy war for years now.

[humbled_opinion]

27. It is a nightmare

Effectively giving stimulus to terror nations.... tighten the sanctions if they get a nuke then let Israel deal with it if they get a nuke and use it than effectively they have committed national suicide, NK has nukes we aren't dropping sanctions on them... I just don't get it this has potentially devastating political consequences any terror attack will now be called funded by Obama Iran deal.... I wish there was other ways.

[geek tragedy]

28. you seem awfully conversant in bullshit rightwing talking points

and ignorant of basic facts:

NK has nukes we aren't dropping sanctions on them

[Tarheel_Dem]

30. What about the other nations who are more than ready for this to be over? Going back to the....

sanctions table after these long & arduous talks is probably not an option for the nations who have spent the last two years on these negotiations. As has been pointed out repeatedly by the administration, these talks were purely about Iran's nuclear ambitions. Just because these talks didn't include everything on yours & Netanyahu's bucket lists, doesn't mean this isn't a damn good deal.

[humbled_opinion]

31. The deal is terrible by all accounts

Even the Presidents own matrix prior to negotiating is not being met with this deal, or so it is said, but I guess it's true we must pass it first in order to see what is really in it..... So much faith to give to a nation that is a lying cheating, terrorist enabling, death to Israel and death to America chanting regime.... I am sure I would have hedged my bets on this, but the President seems to think this is the right balance. History will judge him for it, because it is not going to be stopped.

[eridani]

24. If your representatives are not on board, call them tomorrow!! n/t

[BlueMTexpat]

29. I'm delighted about this.

But I fervently hope that Reid will "unendorse" Schumer for the position of Dem leader if Schumer sticks to his AIPAC-sanctioned course.