WASHINGTON—An aggressive White House campaign to win congressional approval for military action against Syria intensified Sunday as Chief of Staff Denis McDonough vigorously reasserted the administration's arguments in a blitz of television appearances.
Entering a crucial week for winning the support of lawmakers, Mr. McDonough argued there is widespread acceptance that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons in a late August attack, leaving only the question of how to respond.
"There's not a single member of Congress debating the intelligence position," Mr. McDonough said on CNN's "State of the Union" show. "We are no longer debating whether it did happen or didn't happen and that's important."
Some lawmakers, however, including Rep. Rick Nolan (D., Minn.), have said they aren't yet convinced that direct evidence ties Mr. Assad to the alleged attacks.
"Congress has an opportunity this week to answer a simple question: should there be consequences for him for having used that material?" Mr. McDonough said.
In the week after President Barack Obama unexpectedly announced he would ask Congress to back his plan to unleash a limited strike against Syria, White House officials have blanketed Capitol Hill to brief lawmakers in private briefings, conference calls and hearings.
In classified briefings, lawmakers have been shown graphic videos detailing the effects of the chemical attack on victims. Some of the footage was aired this weekend by CNN.
Administration officials also are trying to show they have international support. Secretary of State John Kerry met with members of the European Union and Arab League over the weekend, saying those bodies have supported parts of the U.S. position. Neither, however, has explicitly endorsed U.S. military strikes.
Mr. Obama plans an address on the issue Tuesday, and will appear in a battery of television interviews before then.
The Senate is expected to vote this week on a resolution authorizing the president to use force in Syria to change the momentum on the battlefield and set the stage for Mr. Assad's departure. But it isn't clear whether Congress will lend its support to the measure, which many lawmakers have already said they oppose.
Administration officials have avoided directly answering what the president would do if the resolution fails in Congress. Mr. McDonough suggested Mr. Obama wouldn't wait for a report from United Nations inspectors.
"The president ultimately is going to make this decision, in consultation with Congress, on our timeline," Mr. McDonough said.
One liberal Democrat said Sunday that the president should withdraw his request from Congress, given the opposition among lawmakers and many of their constituents.
"I don't believe support is there in Congress," said Rep. Jim McGovern (D., Mass.), who said he didn't think a strike would be an effective response to the situation in Syria. "We're being told there are two choices: do nothing or bomb Syria," he said on CNN. "There have to be other alternatives out there."
Many Republican lawmakers have also said they are leaning toward opposing military action in Syria.
"The president has not made his case," Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) said on CNN.
Entering a crucial week for winning the support of lawmakers, Mr. McDonough argued there is widespread acceptance that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons in a late August attack, leaving only the question of how to respond.
"There's not a single member of Congress debating the intelligence position," Mr. McDonough said on CNN's "State of the Union" show. "We are no longer debating whether it did happen or didn't happen and that's important."
Some lawmakers, however, including Rep. Rick Nolan (D., Minn.), have said they aren't yet convinced that direct evidence ties Mr. Assad to the alleged attacks.
"Congress has an opportunity this week to answer a simple question: should there be consequences for him for having used that material?" Mr. McDonough said.
In the week after President Barack Obama unexpectedly announced he would ask Congress to back his plan to unleash a limited strike against Syria, White House officials have blanketed Capitol Hill to brief lawmakers in private briefings, conference calls and hearings.
In classified briefings, lawmakers have been shown graphic videos detailing the effects of the chemical attack on victims. Some of the footage was aired this weekend by CNN.
Administration officials also are trying to show they have international support. Secretary of State John Kerry met with members of the European Union and Arab League over the weekend, saying those bodies have supported parts of the U.S. position. Neither, however, has explicitly endorsed U.S. military strikes.
Mr. Obama plans an address on the issue Tuesday, and will appear in a battery of television interviews before then.
The Senate is expected to vote this week on a resolution authorizing the president to use force in Syria to change the momentum on the battlefield and set the stage for Mr. Assad's departure. But it isn't clear whether Congress will lend its support to the measure, which many lawmakers have already said they oppose.
Administration officials have avoided directly answering what the president would do if the resolution fails in Congress. Mr. McDonough suggested Mr. Obama wouldn't wait for a report from United Nations inspectors.
"The president ultimately is going to make this decision, in consultation with Congress, on our timeline," Mr. McDonough said.
One liberal Democrat said Sunday that the president should withdraw his request from Congress, given the opposition among lawmakers and many of their constituents.
"I don't believe support is there in Congress," said Rep. Jim McGovern (D., Mass.), who said he didn't think a strike would be an effective response to the situation in Syria. "We're being told there are two choices: do nothing or bomb Syria," he said on CNN. "There have to be other alternatives out there."
Many Republican lawmakers have also said they are leaning toward opposing military action in Syria.
"The president has not made his case," Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) said on CNN.