While Republican leaders like House Speaker John Boehner have decided to support President Obama's call to action in Syria, others are using the debate as an excuse to bash the president, and in some cases, engage in Islamophobia.
Sarah Palin weighed in on her Facebook page: “So we’re bombing Syria because Syria is bombing Syria? And I’m the idiot?” she wrote, adding that with "both sides shouting 'Allah Akbar' at each other, then let Allah sort it out."
"There are legitimate reasons to oppose military actions in Syria, but it's beyond shameful to use this debate as a chance to trot out anti-Islamic rhetoric or make personal attacks on the president," Rev. Sharpton said on his show.
Former Rep. Patrick Murphy called out Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas for questioning whether or not President Obama could be trusted in his justifications for action in Syria. "This is one of the most serious and somber responsibilities of the Congress, and you have knuckleheads like that congressman from Kansas and the half-governor [Palin], who are just really politicizing this," he said.
Murphy and Sharpton agreed that John McCain--in contrast to his one-time running mate--deserved praise for pushing back against Fox News hosts who said that cheers of "Allahu Akbar" from Syria rebels made them uncomfortable.
“Would you have a problem with an American person saying ‘Thank God? Thank God?'" McCain said Tuesday morning. “That’s what they're saying. Come on!"
When asked to predict whether or not he thought Congress would vote to authorize the president's use of force in Syria, Murphy said "Right now, he won't win it."