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And that is the grim scene in Syria.
A near the these -- these conflicts of villages.
That where -- atrocity that's on call an atrocity took place.
As the -- bridging the -- white minority that rules that country continues it's crackdown against rebels.
And -- -- community stands and shocked.
Now as we look back -- more than a hundred dead there including.
Children.
But what can be done about it and has could this possibly affect the US election.
This is power play I'm Chris -- -- thank you for being with us today.
As we deal with with the somber topic but one that has managed to.
Now finally start shaping the US election and that's the ongoing.
Rebellion.
-- in Syria helping us talk about that today.
Ford O'Connell you know him well he is the chairman of civic form actually is former presidential campaign advisor he is a member of the red team.
And as always stipulated he loves America and please welcome to the dominant Internet telecast of the 1130 half hour.
Margie Romero she is a democratic pollster.
She's president of momentum analysis.
And you can by the way I should point this out right now you can follow him at -- O'Connell.
You can follow her at -- Jim Merrill we like it when the guests have Twitter handles that -- games.
OK so on -- this serious business.
So.
Margie in this election foreign policy has been sort of a non entity it flares up from time to time.
The president certainly has emphasized.
The withdrawal from Iraq his efforts his is 02 brought down in Afghanistan and certainly the killing of a some -- -- -- But here in Syria we have a situation that Americans now are starting to pay a little bit more attention to because -- atrocities are racking up.
And there doesn't seem to be a way apple does this impinge on the presidential race and it.
I don't think sending these tragedies.
Ever seen it Syria I was in the president's -- a club paying close attention -- as he has throughout the region.
And he has a strong record on foreign policy and people seeing foreign policy successes in -- state.
Cautious strong when he strong at times and cautious an -- making sure that -- right decision at the right time not done yet by contrast you hear Mitt Romney's campaign.
And their position is whatever Obama and this is what Mitt Romney -- -- -- Obama -- -- on for the opposite and -- with -- political calculated.
Way of looking at these very complicated airlines and.
On the first point is do people care.
Is it is this an issue that it you know it is sadly the world is a rotten place.
And people get killed all the time there are bad things happening in any number of places around the globe but in Syria is they're getting to be critical mass at least where people are gonna pay attention in this become something they -- -- talk.
I think generally speaking they're very few single issue undecided foreign policies right spending.
Syria voter group AM NASA's jet foreign policy broadly at any one country -- -- take -- that number down even further right because and it is just simply.
Ultimately people voters and swing voters in particular a lot of that is generally.
The beauty election through the eyes what does this mean for me has is gonna help my daily circumstances that's half most people view everything those the only two lies you access.
To look out of seven that's the voters -- -- so when there are heard tragedies going on in other parts of the world.
Sometimes it will be harder for voters head and integrate that accidents between us.
-- four depending on what happens in Syria because of the actors have played Russia.
I ran except -- done is given the president's previous statement on greater flexibility with Russia.
If things do -- -- that if things do go south and Syria and things flare up -- -- -- -- really could bring president Obama's leadership.
In the question had to be fair to be fair.
Your guy.
Not does not have a thick foreign policy resume these guys -- -- either -- it's actually serve in the military is so what's Leo this is and we should you know I like to point this out there of -- I know that a lot of view our veterans.
And this will be the first time.
That we can guarantee that the winner of this election.
Will not be a veteran since 1944 exactly that the deep deep post war American tradition is that every that in each in each election.
At least one of the major party candidates has -- a veteran and this is the first time that it happened.
So.
But mommy doesn't have a he doesn't have a portfolio on foreign policy doesn't.
No he does not.
Have a strong portfolio on foreign policy but I think what he's saying right now really goes to the question of leadership you know can the president do more to sort of quell the situation.
Is arming the rebels -- right here we do not know much about.
Should we have safe zones.
-- -- announced plan in diplomacy actually work you know these are very real items because of who's -- play here with Russia and I ran and what's going on with Israel as well so did this could be something you know to look at as we move towards November right now obviously jobs the economy.
Number one but again.
If things are going south there in the economies and improving.
President Obama's overall leadership -- to the question.
-- you -- -- -- that gorgeous he's from the Romney campaign I hear.
-- -- -- -- There's Obama's view and there's my view -- he's tough.
-- -- that -- an irrational and you know the paralysis and so I think very strong words about a what is actually very strong.
Foreign policy record and -- I think it's you know it just shows to me it emphasizes how political and has seen a -- -- As he's President Obama has actually you know trumped up his foreign policy as well -- touting around bin -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- let's be -- -- both -- -- -- is the question -- depending -- -- clears -- President Obama leadership could come -- a question.
It's everybody to hear Republican -- about.
If you use him been a lot of things that as a trophy when you see him for President Bush and the mission accomplished went into the Christmas -- -- -- that point I mean yes think of what Republicans -- have done with something similar.
It's just comment -- this is coming so yeah.
I can't.
This coming from President Obama in terms of anti war camp okay and now -- -- a journalist and I was using more drawn everybody else I -- that you guys have taken president.
Bush's policies in just went.
We will stipulate we will stipulate that the view that either of you think that the -- from the other side is doing a good job on this subject yourself look.
-- -- Charles -- says we are not the police of the world we need our allies to help.
Where and when they can and cannot afford to get into another war when our economy so weak yes it's sad to -- men women and children -- But it's not the first time we've seen an evil regime killed their own people.
-- said mr.
-- now.
There -- point on this for -- there is a growing.
Anti war is the wrong thing -- -- isolationist is even the wrong thing but non interventionist wing of the Republican Party that's growing Ron Paul voters and others this is a a substantial -- Of the Republican Party.
Is there a danger -- with Mitt Romney.
As he sounds more and more hawkish on Syria and Iran and other issues that it's a turnoff for these people.
That it -- feel like mr.
-- does.
Yes and oh yes because I don't think anybody in America wants to ground troops -- abroad after -- -- war for over ten years.
That said though I do think that there's a lot of things out there that folks like Ron Paul would.
So your bed which is things like sanctions.
Working better coalitions you know weapons speed access road and I think that there's a fine line between the two now what about.
This -- for the president.
Syria is.
So that Libya thing kind of worked.
Like -- did we got we got by sort of by the skin of our teeth.
Ended up killing Qaddafi and got out of it looked for a minute like it might feel very badly and then we sort of we we pulled it out at the end Syria in an election year is just not from just to be -- political if you were if you were doing pulling for the president I assume that what -- say is.
We're not interested in being in another leave the -- non interest in being another war right now right.
Again absolutely.
Voters and made it easier.
The past ten years have made us very cautious.
As an electric very cautious of rushing to didn't engagement.
-- without a plan for an exit without a clear plan for what the standards are -- the measurements that before we exit and that's something that.
Really we learned our lesson from the from the bush years I think it's something that -- as you mention is really gonna have to think through before he has this on off switch are right Ron -- -- -- -- the president's been doing.
So I you know it's of the and it certainly both candidates are gonna have to keep in mind I certainly think that without Obama ultimately when he looks at these foreign policy issues.
He's not thinking about it what it what it means for a vote because ultimately as of the talks bad beginning.
We're policies not top -- -- voters period and he's obviously spending time who -- -- because at the top of our president and -- he's been doing you know doing very well.
I actually I actually disagree I think he's slightly -- at this politically because of the fact because of leadership and because the actors employed -- a statement about Russia.
And what's going on that these are to the actors have played make this security issue -- know most people can't answer them and and power play we'll stipulate that Vladimir who's super creepy.
Okay one.
