President Barack Obama addresses the nation in a live televised speech from the East Room of the White House in Washington on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013.VIDEO
This story is featured in today’s TimesFreePress newscast.
WHERE THEY STANDHow do local congressional leaders feel about a strike on Syria?Tennessee• Sen. Bob Corker (R): For limited strike• Sen. Lamar Alexander (R): Against• Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R), 3rd District: Against• Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R), 4th District: AgainstGeorgia• Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R): “Generally supportive” of limited military action• Sen. Johnny Isakson (R: Against• Rep. Tom Graves (R): Against
CHATTANOOGA AREA MOOD
“[The U.S.] should just mind their own business. We don’t have to baby-sit the world.”- Alex Turner, 20, Ooltewah, hookah bar employee”I’m against war in general, but the government knows things I don’t know. I really like the president, so I trust his judgment.”- Daisy Blanton, 69, Lookout Mountain, retired”I think we should stay out of Syria. There are no ‘white hats’ over there, and the rebels are probably worse than the Assad regime.”- Don Henson”It’s a messed-up situation. I feel for those people, I truly do. But I don’t think we should go in there.”- Kisha Gladden, 34, Alton Park, fast-food employee”We have too many wars going on right now. We’ve got Afghanistan. We’ve got Iraq. We go to war with anybody else, but we can’t take care of ourselves. We’re in debt like crazy.”- Jesse Cox, 38, Chattanooga
BARACK OBAMA’S SPEECH
Obama blends threat of attack, hope of diplomacy in Syria speech
As President Barack Obama faced the nation to justify a potential targeted strike against Syria, he also reached out to Congress to delay a vote authorizing the use of U.S. military action in hopes of pursing diplomacy.