"It's fair to say I haven't decided," Obama told NBC News, one of six television interviews conducted at the White House.
Obama also told network anchors he isn't confident he has the votes in Congress right now, and that final votes could be delayed.
"We're going to spend this week talking to members of Congress, answering their questions, and I'm going to speak to the American people tomorrow night directly," Obama told NBC News, adding that he'll evaluate military plans after Congress votes.
"I've made my decision about what I think is best for America's national interests," he said, "but this is one where I think it's important for me to pay close attention to what Congress and the American people say."
In a session with ABC News, Obama said that "I don't anticipate that you would see a succession of votes this week or anytime in the immediate future."
One reason: A new proposal by Russia -- a Syria ally -- to have Bashar Assad's government place its chemical weapons under international control.
The United States will evaluate that plan, Obama said, though he told CBS News "we don't know the details of it yet."
But, he told CNN, "we're going to take this seriously," and said to PBS that he has discussed the idea with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Fox, Obama said he is open to a "diplomatic track."
The president's prime time speech on Syria is 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, Obama plans to attend the weekly policy luncheons of Senate Democrats and Republicans, just ahead of a key vote set for Wednesday.
In the coming days, the Republican-run House is also expected to vote on whether to authorize military action against Syria.
As polls reflect major public opposition, Obama faces uphill battles in both chambers.
No comments:
Post a Comment