Hobson's Choice to go to Syria

Hobson defends trip to Syria despite criticism via spokesman, Sara Perkins.

Hobson, the lone Republican on the trip, was irritated by the White House criticism, according to Perkins, who noted that the White House did not criticize a Republican-led visit to Syria also scheduled for this week. "If administration officials felt that strongly about the planned visit to Syria, they could have denied the (Department of Defense) plane and State Department assistance that have been provided for this trip," Perkins said. (I wondered what kind of plane they were in.

Perkins also said White House discussion of this trip created "some serious security issues" for the group. (yeah, right.) She added that Hobson went on the trip because he wanted to be part of a bipartisan group, and feels strongly such overseas trips should be bipartisan. (and he wanted to suck up to the new Speaker.) Perkins said the trip is a follow-up to a January trip to Iraq and Afghanistan and is focused on diplomacy to bring stability to Iraq. (or what we'd call appeasement.)