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By Deirdre Walsh, CNN Senior Congressional Producer
September 5, 2013
Washington (CNN) -- A Senate committee's approval of a resolution authorizing military force against Syria gave some momentum to President Barack Obama's effort to win overall congressional support for the effort, but conference calls involving members of his own party indicate that it's still an uphill battle in the House.
With Obama in Sweden and Russia trying in part to rally global backing to punish Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons, his chief of staff briefed two Democratic blocs -- the solidly anti-war liberal Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Several members who participated in the calls indicated the administration still has a lot of work to do.
"If I had to vote today, I would vote no," Missouri Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver told CNN.
Cleaver noted he had multiple concerns before Wednesday's call, which occurred on the same day the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution authorizing a limited military strike on Syria.
The administration says there is overwhelming evidence that Bashar al-Assad's regime killed more than 1,400 people in a chemical weapons attack earlier this month outside Damascus, violating global conventions against their use, further escalating a two-year civil war, and putting civilians and allies in the region at new risk.
A key question
Cleaver didn't dispute the evidence, but asked a question that others have posed over the past two weeks.
"What is the U.S. position -- do we react militarily when people get murdered with sarin gas? Do we respond when people are slaughtered in Darfur when sarin is not used?" he said.
Cleaver, the former head of the Congressional Black Caucus, said he's willing to listen to a classified explanation, but the case hasn't been made yet.
[Excerpt]
Read more:
House Dems proving a tough sell for Obama on Syria - CNN.com
Why are many in president's own party in the House undecided or skeptical of Syria military action?
September 5, 2013
Washington (CNN) -- A Senate committee's approval of a resolution authorizing military force against Syria gave some momentum to President Barack Obama's effort to win overall congressional support for the effort, but conference calls involving members of his own party indicate that it's still an uphill battle in the House.
With Obama in Sweden and Russia trying in part to rally global backing to punish Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons, his chief of staff briefed two Democratic blocs -- the solidly anti-war liberal Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Several members who participated in the calls indicated the administration still has a lot of work to do.
"If I had to vote today, I would vote no," Missouri Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver told CNN.
Cleaver noted he had multiple concerns before Wednesday's call, which occurred on the same day the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution authorizing a limited military strike on Syria.
The administration says there is overwhelming evidence that Bashar al-Assad's regime killed more than 1,400 people in a chemical weapons attack earlier this month outside Damascus, violating global conventions against their use, further escalating a two-year civil war, and putting civilians and allies in the region at new risk.
A key question
Cleaver didn't dispute the evidence, but asked a question that others have posed over the past two weeks.
"What is the U.S. position -- do we react militarily when people get murdered with sarin gas? Do we respond when people are slaughtered in Darfur when sarin is not used?" he said.
Cleaver, the former head of the Congressional Black Caucus, said he's willing to listen to a classified explanation, but the case hasn't been made yet.
[Excerpt]
Read more:
House Dems proving a tough sell for Obama on Syria - CNN.com
Why are many in president's own party in the House undecided or skeptical of Syria military action?
