Here are five things to look for today.
1. What Obama says in his speech
The president will still make the case that Congress must authorize military force in Syria, a senior administration official told CNN. This, despite the fact that Obama believes Kerry’s offhand offer for Syria to turn over its chemical weapons could bear fruit now that Russia and the United Nations have jumped aboard.
The link between the two? The administration argues that the offer to turn over chemical weapons wouldn’t be on the table if not for the threat of force.
A senior administration official told CNN that Kerry’s not in trouble with the president for the comment, but does admit that it was off the cuff while restating administration policy. Bottom line: It wasn’t inconsistent with what was happening behind the scenes, according to the official.
2. Whether Russia’s diplomatic volley has knocked the steam out of a strike
The White House isn’t acting like it has. If anything the lobbying on Capitol Hill is intensifying ahead of the president’s address.
It all starts with President Obama, who will go to the Hill on Tuesday to make his case to Senate Democrats, a Senate leadership aide told CNN. Making sure to hit both sides of the aisle, the president also will attend the Senate GOP lunch, according to a Senate Republican aide.
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article courtesy of CNN.com
