With enough votes in Congress to ensure the survival of his landmark nuclear deal with Iran, President Obama on Thursday turned his attention to other constituencies as the White House ramps up efforts to sell the agreement to a skeptical public.
The president, along with other officials such as Secretary of State John Kerry, met with veterans and Gold Star Mothers — mothers of men or women who died in the line of duty — at the White House.
Mr. Obama made the case that the alternative to his deal with Tehran is war, and that another conflict in the Middle East would result in a new wave of American casualties. He took shots at Republicans who oppose the deal, saying they’re tossing around “casual threats of military force [and] false promises that military actions will be easy or simple or relatively costless.”
“These veterans and their families remind us that is not the case. There are consequences when we rush into war,” the president added.
Later on Thursday, the president will take part in a Rosh Hashanah conference call with rabbis from across the country. The White House hasn’t said the Iran deal will be a topic of discussion during the call, but administration officials in recent weeks have mounted an all-out sales pitch to Jewish leaders who fear the deal threatens Israel’s security.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.