Leadership Unites on Syria While Coffman Flops Like a Fish

Rep. Mike Coffman.

Politico's Reid Epstein reports today that GOP Speaker of the House John Boehner has signed on to the President's request for congressional authority to attack Syria after that nation's alleged use of chemical weapons:

Boehner announced his position after a Tuesday morning meeting with congressional leadership in the Cabinet Room. In a 90-second statement to reporters, Boehner echoed Obama’s earlier sentiment that the United States has a unique responsibility and capability to enforce international law forbidding chemical weapons.

Boehner was joined in his support by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), putting the onus on House leadership to secure enough votes to pass a use-of-force resolution that remains unpopular among both the American public and rank-and-file members of both parties.

As we discussed this weekend, Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado is providing little in the way of leadership on an issue he should be an expert on as a former Marine officer. Instead, Coffman has seemingly reversed full circle from his original statement last week:

Since the United States is not in danger of an "imminent attack" the President must follow the Constitution and the War Powers Act of 1973 and come to the Congress for support before going forward with a military strike of any kind. [Pols emphasis]

To, as CBS4 reported yesterday:

Coffman says the delay in striking Assad has wasted precious time. [Pols emphasis]

“The Assad government has had all the time in the world to move their assets around so they don’t present themselves as easy targets,” he said.

If we're reading this right, Coffman has gone from demanding President Barack Obama obtain approval from Congress before attacking Syria to criticizing Obama for doing so, since "the delay in striking Assad has wasted precious time." We've been trying to figure out a way that President Obama could have made Coffman happy here, but between Obama being obliged to ask Congress, but having "wasted precious time" by asking Congress, we've basically got nothing. It would appear that Obama can do nothing right at all in Coffman's eyes.

And you know what, folks? He might really be that infantile.

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