>>
let's swing east to the
white house
.
president obama
chose this super tuesday of all days to take on his gop rivals who have been criticizing him on the campaign trail over the issue of
iran
.
savannah guthrie
watched the president with us earlier today, part of our politics team here tonight. interesting day in the briefing room.
>>
yeah, and as you mentioned the
white house
knew this super tuesday news conference would get more than the usual attention, as you said. the questions dealt mostly with
foreign policy
but with the
presidential campaign
at home, clear tli backdrop, the president sounding off on republican rivals who have been talking tough on
iran
. at a news conference that coincided with the gop's marquee primary night the president lashed out at republican candidates he accused of, quote, popping off with with
loose talk
of war.
>>
those folks don't have a lot of responsibilities. they're not commander in chief. this is not a game. there is nothing casual about it.
>>
he has turned his back on the people of
israel
. [ applause ]
>> reporter:
the president's rivals were not letting up.
>>
we would not
keep talking
while the iranians keep building.
>> reporter:
today, before a pro
israel
lobbying group
hammering mr. obama for being soft on
iran
.
>>
i will station multiple aircraft carriers and warships at
iran
's door. i will bring the current policy of procrastination toward
iran
to an end.
>>
i reserve all options.
>> reporter:
the president has spent the week trying to mollify leaders assuring
benjamin netanyahu
the u.s. won't tolerate a nuclear
iran
and would use military strikes to stop it. he made it clear he has no appetite for war.
>>
the notion that somehow we have a choice to make in the next week or two weeks or month or two months is not borne out by the facts.
>> reporter:
republicans argue the president's hesitance about
military force
and efforts to dissuade
israel
from acting alone against
iran
send a message to the
iranian regime
which the president rejected.
>>
if some of these folks think it's time to launch a war they should say so. they should explain to the
american people
why they would do that and what the consequences would be. everything else is just talk.
>> reporter:
on the republican candidates' other criticisms of him, the president side-step an offer to respond.
>>
what would you like to say to mr. romney?
>>
good luck tonight. [ laughter ]
>>
no, really.
>>
really.
>>
back on
iran
, american decision-makers are operating under the assumption that israelis will take action against
iran
in the coming months. some believe the israelis are well aware the backdrop of an american
presidential election
will increase pressure for all candidates to show they are tough on
iran
and they will want to show they are standing by
israel
.
>>
interesting dynamic in the briefing
Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46646773/
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