We’ve just learned that President Barack Obama will speak on the situation in Syria at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. That’s according to a press release issued by ABC News, which explains that when the president speaks, the network will air a special report.
No live coverage of Obama’s remarks
According to Politico, President Obama is scheduled for a photo opportunity with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Latvian President Andris Berzin at 2:15. A senior administration official told reporters that the president would likely talk about Syria.
CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller tweeted that the president’s remarks while meeting with the Baltic leaders will not be aired live. He reports that the remarks will be aired later as tape playback only. He said Obama administration officials declined TV networks’ request to carry the remarks live.
Kerry speaks on Syria
Secretary of State John Kerry just addressed the nation a short while ago, so if the president does make some sort of official statement on Syria as expected, then we could consider Kerry a sort of warm-up act. Kerry’s comments essentially focused on the horror associated with the chemical attacks attributed to Syria’s government. He basically said that the world and especially the U.S. should not let Syria get away with it.
He said that when the world banned chemical weapons almost a century ago, there was a good reason for it and that if we don’t stand by what was said in the past, more dictators and governments will begin building their own chemical weapons, only decreasing the world’s safety further.
President Obama has said he wants to strike Syria, although most Americans are hesitant in agreeing with him, as polls show Americans in favor of the administration seeking the approval of Congress first. When Kerry spoke, he urged Americans not to compare Syria with the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan or even Libya.
