Appearing on the premiere episode of the CNN’s political debate show “Crossfire,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) rebuffed President Barack Obama’s claim that his reputation has not been damaged by the conflict in Syria.
Responding to concerns voiced by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) that failing to act in Syria now could set off a chain reaction that would destabilize the Middle East, Paul argued that Obama shouldn’t ever have promised the U.S. would intervene is Syria if the country’s President Bashar Assad crossed a “red line” and began using chemical weapons on his citizens.
“This is an argument for why the President shouldn’t be willy-nilly drawing red lines, and I hope he’s learned his lesson. The more red lines you draw, and the more you let people go beyond it, the less you have credibility,” Paul said. “The President has lost face. He’s lost credibility.”
Last week, President Obama attempted to put the onus on Congress to vote in favor a military strike in Syria, saying at a press conference, “My credibility is not on the line. The international community’s credibility is on the line. And America and Congress’s credibility is on the line.”
During the debate on ‘Crossfire,’ Paul pushed back on Obama’s claim, arguing that only Obama’s credibility would be threatened in the international community – not the entire country’s – if President Obama reneged on his promise to launch a strike in Syria.
“[T]he United States has a great and ferocious ability to defend ourselves. You saw it after 9/11. And, I don’t think anybody questions what will happen if we are ever attacked or our interests are attacked,” Paul explained.
“So I don’t think there is all of a sudden American credibility going out the window – the President’s credibility is on the line – but American credibility is not,” he added.
Paul and Menendez were the first guests on the relaunched ‘Crossfire,’ joining hosts Newt Gingrich and Stephanie Cutter. Each evening the show will rotate hosts with one host from the left and one host from the right debating a conservative and liberal guest. Tuesday evening will feature former Obama administration official Van Jones and conservative commentator S.E. Cupp. The half-hour show airs at 6:30 p.m. ET Monday – Friday on CNN.
