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WASHINGTON (AP) — New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the No. 3 Senate Democrat and next-in-line party leader, said he is breaking with President Barack Obama and will oppose the Iran nuclear deal."After deep study, careful thought and considerable soul-searching, I have decided I must oppose the agreement and will vote yes on a motion of disapproval," Schumer said in a statement late Thursday night, weeks before he will cast a vote.Schumer, a leading Jewish Democrat, is the first senator of Obama's party to step forward to oppose the deal. His announcement came just hours after two other Senate Democrats — New York's Kirsten Gillibrand and New Hampshire's Jeanne Shaheen — announced their support for the international accord.The deal, struck last month with Tehran and Western powers, would curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from crippling sanctions.Schumer's decision is a blow to the administration, though it remains to be seen how many other Democratic lawmakers follow the New York senator. Schumer informed the White House of his decision Thursday afternoon. New York Rep. Eliot Engel, who is Jewish and the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement that he too would oppose the deal.
Fury of left falls on Schumer
Liberals are livid at Sen. Charles Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) decision to oppose the White House’s nuclear deal with Iran, and have threatened to launch a full-scale war as retribution. Activists and former top officials within the Obama administration are openly contemplating whether Schumer’s stance disqualifies him from serving as the next Senate Democratic leader — which he is primed to do — and seeking to temporarily cut off money to Democrats in the upper chamber. It’s unclear whether Schumer’s announcement will have a devastating effect on the White House’s efforts to prevent Democrats from killing the deal when it comes up for a vote in Congress next month. But it’s clear that he will be Public Enemy No. 1 for liberal activists throughout the August recess, as they aim to rally support from Democrats on the agreement. “This is a real and serious backlash, one that comes from deep within the Democratic Party’s base, and I think we’re only going to see it grow,” said Becky Bond, the political director for Credo Action. Liberal groups including Credo, MoveOn.org and Democracy for America are rallying supporters to flood congressional mailboxes and town halls over the course of the next month to demand lawmakers support the agreement. On Friday, they launched a new website, 60DaysToStopAWar.com, to list upcoming town halls and aid in the push. Late on Thursday evening, Schumer upended the congressional debate over the Iran agreement by announcing in a lengthy statement that he “must oppose the agreement” and “will vote yes on a motion of disapproval” when it comes up for a vote in September. He also will vote to override President Obama’s veto of legislation to kill the deal, Schumer’s office confirmed. The move puts Schumer at odds on the most significant foreign policy issue of the year with both Obama and Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination. That left many liberals furious, and stunned at how the presumptive next Senate Democratic leader could break with virtually every other leader of their party. Even though the No. 3 Senate Democrat released his statement in the middle of the first GOP presidential debate — practically ensuring it would be buried in the media — activist groups including MoveOn and Credo pounced within moments. “No real Democratic leader does this,” MoveOn.org political action executive director Ilya Sheyman declared less than 30 minutes after Schumer’s statement was posted online. “If this is what counts as ‘leadership’ among Democrats in the Senate, Senate Democrats should be prepared to find a new leader or few followers.”In retaliation, Sheyman called for MoveOn.org’s 8 million supporters to cease donating money to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and any Democratic candidate who opposes the deal. Bloggers at the liberal website Daily Kos called Schumer a “warmonger” who would “be a disaster” as the top Senate Democrat. Ex-Obama aides including Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor and Ben LaBolt similarly condemned the stance, questioning whether Schumer would be able to lead Democrats in the upper chamber after so publicly breaking with the leader of their party. “Chuck Schumer, who said it was a mistake to pass Obamacare, now comes out again the Iran Deal,” tweeted former White House speechwriter Jon Favreau. “This is our next Senate leader?” In their outrage, multiple defenders of the deal referenced Schumer’s claim in December that Congress was focusing on the “wrong problem” in passing ObamaCare in 2009, as well as his 2002 support for the invasion in Iraq.For some, the biggest sting appeared to be less about Schumer’s position than about his timing. The New York Democrat had long been critical about the Iran deal, and few people watching the congressional debate were surprised that he ultimately came out against it. But many expected him to wait for weeks, so that other Democrats would already have made their decision and would not be influenced by his call.
It's a ruse. The Dems have the votes locked up, so Schumer can vote no and the blood isn't on his hands.
