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If Obama's so dead-set against this bill, why doesn't he simply say he'll veto it if Congress passes it?
by csense 11y ago
If Obama's so dead-set against this bill, why doesn't he simply say he'll veto it if Congress passes it?
- privong 11y ago> If Obama's so dead-set against this bill, why doesn't he simply say he'll veto it if Congress passes it? Saudi Arabia might not appreciate it if Congress passes the bill, even if Obama vetoes it. So trying to convince congress not to pass it in the first place might be a foreign relations move. Also, Obama might be worried they could override his veto (though I don't know how widely supported this bill is in Congress).
- HillaryBriss 11y agoPolitical optics. The Saudi Arabia fan club in the US is pretty small. Most American voters are either apathetic or antipathetic about Saudi Arabia. Suppose Congress passes this bill and American voters say, "Great. That's fine with me. Let's sue these Saudi Arabian funders of terrorism." And now Obama vetoes it. How's that going to make him look to American voters? "I wonder why he did that? Looks pretty suspicious to me ..." Plus, how's that going to reflect on the Democratic presidential candidates?
- nacs 11y ago> How's that going to make him look to American voters Would he care what the American voters think of him towards the end of his last and final term?
- HillaryBriss 11y agoStrictly speaking I guess you're right. But, still, I think Obama cares that American voters vote for a Democrat in 2016 so that Obama's signature accomplishments and legacy are preserved. I believe he also cares what Americans in general think for the sake of his long term reputation -- the usual presidential narcissism, "my great legacy" etc.