Today’s briefing in the Senate on Syria, starring Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, and Secretary of State John Kerry, did not go well for Team Obama. Hagel accidentally said the Syria intervention would be a “war.” Kerry envisioned scenarios in which there would be American boots on the ground, despite President Obama’s insistence that there will never been American boots on the ground in Syria. Kerry had to backtrack. Kerry acknowledged that if Assad survives the US strike, which is virtually guaranteed since Assad is not a target, that he will stand up and crow that he “defeated America.” Sen. John McCain tried his hand at Obama foreign policy, implausibly arguing that Syria’s rebels are mostly secular, moderate and democratic, echoing Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s statement that the Muslim Brotherhood is “mostly secular.”
Here are some of the best tweets I saw during the debacle on the Hill.
Terrorism at Ft. Hood was "workplace violence" and blowing up Syria is not an act of war. Words do mean things.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) September 3, 2013
um RT @EvanMcSan: PICTURE of McCain playing poker during Syria hearing is up http://t.co/DNv9gGubvo pic.twitter.com/BpVpXD9rPB
— DanRiehl (@DanRiehl) September 3, 2013
Kerry said airstrikes are not war. The men buried in the USS Arizona disagree.
— Dan Curry (@dancurry) September 3, 2013
RT @EliLake: Oh God. So now Kerry is saying air strikes to degrade the capacity of a man gassing his people is not "an act of war." PLEASE
— Timothy P Carney (@TPCarney) September 3, 2013
This is what happens when a Democrat who was wrong about the Iraq war debates a Republican who was right. #notesfor2016
— Jim Antle (@jimantle) September 3, 2013
Kerry assures us that we're not going to war "in the classic sense." It's more of a New Coke sense, I guess.
— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) September 3, 2013
White House set to hold conference call with House progressives on Syria tomorrow, sources tell me. Wooing underway.
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) September 3, 2013
Kerry: "Israel will be much safer unless the U.S. takes this action." I don't think he meant to say "unless."
— David Freddoso (@freddoso) September 3, 2013
I think those WMD's Kerry says were not in Iraq, are the same ones he is going after now. #TheIrony
— Kathleen McKinley (@KatMcKinley) September 3, 2013
That Kerry answer about boots on the ground is going to raise alarm, if my conversations with lawmakers this morning are any indication.
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) September 3, 2013
It turns out that John Kerry met with Bashar Assad more often than Barack Obama met with his Jobs Council. http://t.co/RUaeW9eOlw
— Ross . (@indyrallen) September 3, 2013
Dear liberals, Welcome to the consequences of bashing Bush for 8 years purely for political purposes.
— Wayne Dupree ✌✊ (@NewsNinja2012) September 3, 2013
Obama: I want to send a shot across Assad's bow. Kerry: This isn't just sending a message. #SmartPower
— DrewM (@DrewMTips) September 3, 2013
MT @NORBET: David Cameron went from being "in a special relationship" to "it's complicated" Facebook status
— Toby Harnden (@tobyharnden) September 3, 2013
Is this a skit? RT @joshgreenman: Kerry: Assad will stand up after the attack, no doubt will claim victory. But our objectives are limited.
— John Ekdahl, Jr. (@JohnEkdahl) September 3, 2013
Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos… RT @redsteeze: Kerry can't name any members of an international coalition.
— THE GayPatriot (@GayPatriot) September 3, 2013
Old&busted: “I voted for it before I voted against it.” New hotness: “To my knowledge I have no knowledge.”
— Karol (@karol) September 3, 2013
Kerry just lost me when he said Russia is "serious about finding a way forward," defended Kremlin – are you kidding? Tsar Vlad? #syria
— Bridget Johnson (@Bridget_PJM) September 3, 2013
"No boots on the ground." "You can keep your insurance policy." "You can keep your doctor." "Your premiums will decrease."
— George Mardre (@gmardre) September 3, 2013
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