President Barack Obama demonized anyone who opposed his nuclear agreement with Iran again Monday, labeling naysayers as "the crazies."
"Harry and I drove over here together and we were doing a little reminiscing, and then figuring out how we’re going to deal with the crazies in terms of managing some problems," Obama said at a Nevada State Democratic Party event.
The name-calling continues a string of antagonizing from Obama. The president's comments appear to include Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), the future Democratic leader, and Sen. Robert Menendez (D., N.J.), the former ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with those who deemed to be "crazy."
Repeatedly, Obama has claimed only two options remain for the U.S. and its allies: accept the deal and achieve peace with a nuclear free Iran, or reject the deal and condemn the country and the world to a long, costly war. Republicans, some Democrats, and many in Israel have dubbed Obama’s choices as a false narrative.
In Pittsburgh, Obama blamed opponents of the Iran deal as the same people who delivered the Iraq War. He portrayed Republicans as warmongers who would rather make the same mistakes with Iran rather than give his "smarter" diplomacy a shot.
"We’re hearing the echoes of some of the same policies and mindset that failed us in the past," Obama said.
Obama then likened his adversaries to the hardliners in Iran, and said his rivals were against the deal to undermine him politically.
In a speech at American University two weeks ago, Obama said "hardliners chanting ‘Death to America’ have been most opposed to the deal. They’re making common cause with the Republican caucus."
Obama has drawn criticism from members of his own party, many of whom think the president’s efforts will ostracize potential votes for the deal. Even those likely to support the deal have said there are legitimate concerns and that the intentions of those who do not agree with the president should not be called to question.
"Characterizing people who may be in opposition to the agreement as wanting to go to war as an alternative, I’m not comfortable with that," Rep. Steny Hoyer (D., Md.), the second ranking Democrat in the House, said in response to Obama’s inflammatory language. "And I wish the White House wouldn’t do that."
Obama has said that 99 percent of the world and of all nuclear experts agree with him, but is losing the Iran nuclear debate with the American people. By a wide margin, Americans oppose the Iran deal Obama has been fighting so hard for.