If the 47 Senate Republicans who tried to sabotage the international
talks with Iran had a plan, it’s safe to say that strategy has been
thrown out the window.

As the fiasco unfolded yesterday, the GOP found itself increasingly
divided over the legally dubious scheme to derail American foreign
policy, with even Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Corker
(R-Tenn.), who refused to sign the letter, criticizing the right-wing
initiative. Soon after, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) did the same.

It left some Republicans scrambling to defend the entire fiasco. The
Daily Beast had this unexpected report late yesterday:

Republican aides were taken aback by what they thought was a
lighthearted attempt to signal to Iran and the public that Congress
should have a role in the ongoing nuclear discussions. Two GOP aides
separately described their letter as a “cheeky” reminder of the
congressional branch’s prerogatives.

“The administration has no sense of humor when it comes to how
weakly they have been handling these negotiations,” said a top GOP
Senate aide.

Without more information about the unnamed sources, it’s hard to say
just how many Republicans on Capitol Hill actually believe this, but
it’s a tough sell. A group of far-right senators interfered with
sensitive international diplomacy; they tried to undermine the American
government; they encouraged foreign officials not to trust U.S.
officials engaged in high-level talks; they brazenly ignored American
laws to engage in their own freelance foreign policy; and the defense is
Republicans simply wanted to be “cheeky”? GOP officials on Capitol Hill
want the White House to have a “sense of humor” about sabotage?

Fred Kaplan yesterday explained, “It is a useful thing when a political
party reveals itself as utterly unsuited for national leadership,”
adding that the Republican letter was “plainly stupid.”

For mo

http://tinyurl.com/nwouqkr
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Proud to be a Liberal.