. . . however, they don’t need to keep their cell phones charged.
We believe this says it all…about Obama’s one “man” rule and the impotent Republican “leadership.” Note the two highlighted passages.
That whole “advice and consent” thing is just something to hound a Republican president with. Given the comment of our Senate Minority leader, we suggest that the Congress go home, especially the GOP delegation, and wait by the phone for Obama to take time out from a round of golf and a couple of fundraisers to advise them what he’s going to do…or not do.
Obama Not Asking Congress’ Permission on Iraq
By Steven Dennis and Humberto Sanchez on RollCall
Posted at 4:51 p.m. June 18
President Barack Obama is still considering what to do about Iraq, but he told the top congressional leaders Wednesday that he doesn’t think he needs Congress’ permission to act.
“We had a good discussion,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arriving back at the Capitol after the meeting. “The president basically just briefed us on the situation in Iraq and indicated he didn’t feel he had any need for authority from us for the steps that he might take and indicated he would keep us posted.”
Obama met for about an hour in the Oval Office with McConnell, Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev . . .
(Pelosi) “All of the authorities are there. That doesn’t mean I want all of them to be used, especially boots on the ground,” she said. “But I definitely think the president has all of the authority he needs by dint of legislation that was passed in 2001 and 2003.”
She appeared to be referring to the authorizations to use military force passed after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and the 2002 authorization to use force in Iraq. Neither of those authorizations have expired, although the official White House position is that the Iraq authorization should be repealed.
“Everybody seemed satisfied,” Reid said. “The president is going to keep us as informed as informed as he can as the process moves forward.”
Earlier, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney deflected a question about congressional authorization, saying, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, if we come to it.”
Carney repeatedly said, however, that the president wants to avoid Iraq becoming a safe haven for terrorists.
DLH
Ed. note: In the last quote above, the President’s spokesman endorses one of the key reasons for coalition forces going into Iraq post 911 . . . what they so often refer to as the unnecessary war.
