In a stunning and interesting turn of events New York Senator Charles Schumer, announced last night that he could not support The Iranian nuclear deal brokered by President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.
It was a very tough hit for the Obama administration to take because Schumer has been one of Obama’s top supporters throughout his entire presidency; many times serving as a surrogate speaker for the administration on a number controversial issues.
The loss of Schumer in the Senate is a very big blow to the Obama administration who is trying desperately to get the necessary support to make sure that the Iranian deal gets the Congressional backing needed assure it gets done.
Earlier in the day representative Elliot Engle of New York, the ranking Democrat on the house Foreign Relations Committee voiced his opposition and announced that he too would not be supporting the President on this issue.
The president needs 34 votes in the Senate to keep from having the agreement overturned.
At the moment it’s too close to call and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Is working hard to get the necessary 128 votes she needs in the house to keep the deal together.
The deal has already been approved by France ,Germany, China and Russia, who could move on with the agreement without the United States.
With the other countries supporting the deal and the United States not, it is likely that sanctions against Iran could very well be dropped.
That would leave the United States with far less tools to keep Iran from having the possibly of establishing nuclear capabilities.
So the Democrats are shooting for 34 senators to stay on the president’s side and 128 congressman to do the same.
At this moment it remains to be seen if that coalition the president wants can be held together.
In the meantime we simply do not know whether or not Germany, China, Russia and France would do the deal without the United States.
It should make for a very interesting September.
