Obama says he's just 'presenting facts' on Iran deal, not lobbying

By Charles Hoskinson, Charles Hoskinson

Published December 20, 2015

President Obama insisted Monday that administration officials are "just providing the facts" about the nuclear deal with Iran amid a furious lobbying campaign that he declined to characterize as lobbying.

"What we're doing is presenting facts about an international agreement that 99 percent of the world thinks solves a vital problem in a way that will prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon," Obama said at a news conference during a visit to Ethiopia.

"I have not yet heard a factual argument on the other side that holds up to scrutiny," he added.

In fact, administration officials have conducted a furious lobbying campaign for the deal as lawmakers consider whether to vote to approve it. Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew all have traveled to Capitol Hill multiple times since the deal was signed July 14 to brief lawmakers on it both in private and in public hearings.