as president obama takes his case for strikes against syria to the american people russia makes a last ditch effort for diplomacy will it work former u.s. ambassador to the u.n. bill richardson joins us next on politicking with larry king. i. heard this in a politicking with larry king having news about syria and the united states this week and joining me from santa fe new mexico is the former united states ambassador to the u.n. an old friend bill richardson he's also the former governor of new mexico and a former congressman and a former energy secretary under bill clinton he's held so many government post

thank you for joining me governor we really appreciate this thank you larry it's great that you're back and by the way i can't keep a job that's why i have all those jobs. and i let's get right at it and i would do you assess the president's speech. it was a good strong speech he focused on the need to have the military option on the table he focused on the diplomatic solution he was strong his comments were heartfelt and he basically took a gamble with seeing what the russians and the syrians have to offer. i think you want to try a diplomatic solution and at the same time postponing a vote in the congress this would have been a really tough vote larry you and i have been through these votes before i think the president would have gotten the votes officially but again it's

a very volatile situation things change every day but i think the president has handled the crisis well even though the country is very war weary afghanistan iraq people want funding to go to education to jobs to health care so it's a very turbulent period what do you do you're the president and both sides are hitting of the public is tired of war the left attack sure the right attack you and you assess him is handling this well. i do larry i think he's calm cool collected it's a very tough job it's a very lonely job you're right out in the country there's no support out in the congress these congressmen senators are back home they're finally back in washington they're hearing from their constituents internationally you know the u.n. and international entities they don't want to see military strikes they want to see diplomacy but when president obama tried diplomacy at the u.n.

on the syrian issue the russians killed it the syrians weren't serious they tried u.n. on boys and they couldn't get a political settlement but i am hopeful that there is something about the military strike that scared the russians and the syrians hopefully this means that they will engage in a political settlement that gets rid of the weapons in a timely fashion that also maybe leads talks towards a political settlement a cease fire hopefully assad giving up some power. there's a reason why they propose the russians and the syrians this compromise and i'm hopeful that it's going to lead to a diplomatic resolution and then eventually to a new leadership in syria but that's my hope and who knows what will happen why bill why have hasn't the american public bought this. well you

know larry i'm here in new mexico the american public is they're very wary about the war in iraq and afghanistan you know they heard the argument about weapons of mass destruction in iraq and and they weren't there you know that you walk around here there are a lot of our veterans with p.t.s.d. with mental health problems a lot of veterans benefits that have been slashed because of the budget wars in afghanistan you know the end of the war is not in sight people are questioning whether that commit one was viable president obama is withdrawing us from both wars so whenever there's a new potential for even if it's a military strike which i think the president was very clear in saying no boots on the ground no other commitments beyond the military strikes aimed at the weapons

sites the public is very skeptical the economy is not as good as it should be in all young people don't aren't getting jobs that's why the country is wary larry has mr putin played this hand well has has he gotten the edge of this is a battle between putin and obama. well he's very crafty he's a former k.g.b. agent i met him once in the clinton administration when he first came in i don't think he has the edge but he's clearly been very unhelpful to the united states on iran he's been helpful on the syria issue he's been with president obama they don't have good chemistry yet russia is very important that the u.s. and russia on arms control on trade on energy on syria that we have a better relationship. i don't think he has the edge but it's reached

a point larry where it's very hard to trust whether he's serious does he really want to help with a diplomatic solution urge he just stalin for time to help his client state syria is he trying to influence the congressional vote by saying ok there's a diplomatic solution so congressmen and senators can vote no saying we may have a chance for a settlement could very crafty guy he hasn't played it straight but he's you know he's somebody that is he's a big player here and what about the un's role of diplomacy does prevail the u.n. is going to have a new mission there in syria long hidden arsenal in that country crossfire both sides who is on those who was that who's in power who's not who's with the rebels where's all is going with the u.n. involvement. well the u.n.

becomes very important al-arian so the main question is is russia going to veto anything in the u.n. security council that would harm their client syria and prevent a political settlement that's a big question what mass happen at the security council is most importantly one language that says you've got to get these weapons out they have to be destroyed there has to be a date certain for that to happen a secondly an arms embargo hopefully a so that weapons keep staying out of syria third and now i'm getting into wishful thinking possibly a diplomatic talks for power sharing for a political settlement which eventually moves assad out and and gets that country back on a path towards some kind of. democracy some kind of political resolution where all of these massive killings don't happen these refugees. so that's the u.n.

now becomes that much more important because the framework of an agreement has to come from the u.n. security council but as one of the five members along with the u.s. russia. china britain and france russia can veto anything so can any of the other four luckily we've got the brits with us we've got the french with us but russia and china they work together they've done it for years to blunt anything that we've tried to do in the security council in the military peacekeeping area so let's say the start was a secured what happens to assad the disease just dizzy do we do this you remain in power where do what's his end game. well his endgame is he wants to stay in power and it's interesting that he's admitted that he had these weapons he never had admitted he said they didn't exist so he was lying he was playing games

he obviously wants to stay but my hope is that maybe the russians of tired of him that's my fond hope that the russians and said this guy is losing support he's causing us a nuff problems internationally russia prestige in the middle east has gone down because they help assad in syria they make money out of the relationship selling weapons to him but my hope larry is that the negotiations at the u.n. or even separately between the u.s. and russia lead to assad ceding power ertl leaving office or an arms embargo maybe a threat of war crimes that he's going to be sent to war crimes tribunal the russians could veto that they'd veto it right away but it leaves what we have to do is make sure that assad pays more of a price than just giving up these weapons of mass destruction that he really pay

a price for the killings of over thousands of people all those kids the destruction he has brought his own country by the secretary of state john kerry and his counterpart sergey lavrov they're going to meet. they're going to discuss this settlement agreement hopefully to get something to happen how long do we hold off on is how long do we wait for the congressional vote how long before there is a if possible a military strike. well larry i don't want to get into deadlines but i believe. this agreement has to happen soon and the president was right to say the military strikes are on the table if the russians aren't serious if negotiations between secretary kerry and lavrov and by the way i know lever of he was my counterpart at the un when i was there he's a straight shooter but i don't know if he's taking his full instructions from putin i suspect he is all i'm

a little wary. i'd say that this has to happen in the next few days of negotiations and lead to some kind of settlement and as i've mentioned i think the settlement should go beyond the weapons of mass destruction but then when you get into the debates in the security council you get into a private room with the security council members that's where the rubber hits the road that's where i worry that the russians are that it's a no no no we can't use this word that says must we use this word that says we'll consider in other words making the resolution less strong and not enforcing what needs to happen how do you assess how john kerry is ending all of this he's doing a good job you know he's tried to focus on the middle east i think he made progress on israeli palestinian issue at least getting talks possibly going. i

loved his passion when he talked about the weapons in syria he is somebody that i want negotiating with the russians on a political settlement he knows the senate in knows the congress so i think he would have been very useful in this very tough vote but i give him good marks larry . hillary clinton his presence of the former secretary of state has supported the idea of a military strike and that's against public thinking so if i can veer just for a second politically how do you think that stand will affect her if she decides to seek the presidency. well i believe it depends on what is resolved if there's a diplomatic solution and the syrians get rid of their weapons and there are some diplomatic progress it's not go to a factor standing. in a military strike on i'm for it i came out for it i'm not running for anything but

in the democratic party and there are some republicans tea party there's bipartisan opposition to this my worry was that tea party republicans very liberal democrats that are anti-war would have combined to defeat a resolution i think eventually the president would have won the vote because the administration and and the executive branch has a lot of tools so i think it's going to affect her she's very strong so it won't hurt or either way. no i don't think so i think the depends on the outcome but either way i think she's too strong in a democratic primary but you know you never know this is three years away we'll be right back with more with former united states ambassador to the u.n. bill richardson after this.

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secretary kerry's comments describing the military tack and he's quote is unbelievably small it was at a bad choice of words no i think what he was trying to say larry is that it was a pinprick military strike very narrowly defined to bring damage to the weapon sites to help the rebels to hit the command and control sites the emphasis was that this is a very strategic strike it's not boots on the ground it's not massive weapons transfers you know maybe should have used a different word but i think that was the intent. you know that the new yorker that if you're just out in the lead article is a statement of it a kind of through me i want you to read react to it the writer said. there's almost a feeling of the hell with it all. this is the middle east this is syria

it's a tragedy what's have been with the gas but the go let's just stay out of it what's what's it our business how do you respond to that. well you know the new yorkers responding to the sentiment in the country. people are very frustrated with wars and with military involvements and you know if you look at the middle east we've had the crisis in egypt we've had the benghazi were people were killed arm bassett or was killed the situation in right now in syria where you know hundreds of thousands have been killed i think it's basically a war weariness and a reflection on the american view that let's concentrate on our economy on jobs on our own people there's a little sense of isolationism out there and the new yorker which is you know

a very good strong mainstream publication is reflecting that view what if it goes to congress and this is the again a what if and congress rejects it then what well then i think it's going to be very tough for the president to move with a military strike you know he chose courageously to go to congress for approval if one house says now and one says yes it's going to be very tough for him to say i'm going to go on nonetheless because he chose that path it was the constitutional correct path it showed courage honest part that he wanted the whole country to debate this issue. i just think that hopefully the diplomatic solution will prevent some kind of an outcome like that. you had an incredible career in diplomacy and a major major accomplishments you successfully released hostages american servicemen in prison is in north korea in iraq cuba savan. if you if you

were in the middle of this now the diplomatic a member of president clinton told me once that if you thought united states you thought the england and ireland was a problem you ain't seen nothing to you look at the middle east is this soluble. you know sometimes larry some problems are not resolvable i think i don't think i don't think this is irresolvable but all you can do is make things a little better especially in this time of the arab spring where there are such tamal sure as change you know twitter and facebook and young people wanting dramatic change of dictatorships. i think you can only make things better and you do that through bilateral negotiations kerry and lavrov or through the u.n.

you know a lot of people don't like the u.n. but right now the u.n. is the hope of a diplomatic solution because of what the security council may do with the weapons they're the ones that will verify that the weapons are out by international inspectors not politicians not syrians not russians we want technical people making sure these weapons are out so you only make things better and i think this is a situation where the u.n. and diplomacy can make things better in a very tough volatile negative situation that is happening in the middle east to get a new president in iran who seems to be wanting to have some accord with the west a living for improved relations there. well i think this is where the syria issue is tied to that if assad wins this debate iran is strengthened hezbollah's strength and israel is hurt. i don't like some of the soundings that are happening from this

new president that he's ready to talk about. terminations of their nuclear enrichment program but i'm skeptical larry because i think it's the bull as the religious leaders that ultimately call the shots and don't want to give up their nuclear arsenal and we in israel have to make sure that they do give it up but but if there's a little glimmer of hope i think what we need to be doing is helping the resistance in iran helping young people and the opposition there and women's groups and civic society that's what i'd like us to be doing but if this guy extends a hand and says he's ready rouhani to talk we need to negotiate we need to talk you know me i'm ready to talk to the north koreans i'm ready to talk to anybody if because i think dialogue and the bloem a-c. are a lot better than the military option tell me about north korea you think dennis rodman

can help he's going to coach their basketball team the next summer's olympics i say to some i facetiously but what do you make of north korea is any hope there. the answer is i believe there is but we know hardly anything about this new leader the thirty year old kim jong known my worry is that he's being pulled directions against dialogue more nuclear weapons more repressing his people you know i was hopeful that dennis rodman who apparently the leader like each other i mean the leader wouldn't see me when i went but he saw a rodman so i got a little jealous there but at the same time i was disappointed that rodman did not press hard for kenneth bay this is an american korean american detained there he criticized president obama secretary clinton very personally i don't think he

needed to do that but you know sports diplomacy out of the box diplomacy people that are not diplomats that are not government people to people diplomacy scientists university people we shouldn't exclude using them in the betterment of relations between two countries where the two official channels of failed we would all a good couple of other things if they called you back in a government would you go no i'm too happy you know i've i've been thirty years in government i have a foundation i'm doing international things i give speeches you know i'm making all the money i do consulting i don't do any lobbying and live in santa fe you know of i'm very happy with what i'm doing larry and i needed a pause and i'm enjoying this boss and what about the democratic party the you see joe biden challenge of hillary goes you see joe biden getting into that hunt.

well he would have to look at where polls are right before they make announcements but i think joe biden is underestimated you know i ran against him we've been friends for years i think he has a platform he's hungry he knows foreign policy i wouldn't count him out he appeals to working people i don't think he would defer to hillary clinton hillary would be the overwhelming favorite but you know we've got a good bench larry there are a bunch of other candidates out there that may take a look at it other women candidates too. it's too early to tell the only thing i worry about is that you know we're a cyclical country eight years generally go with the republicans eight years with the democrats because the public wants that change but i wouldn't count biden out i think this guy's got the eye of the tiger what do you what do you. make of

president obama i know you supported him. is his poll numbers are down. he's got a congress that doesn't get together on anything what do you how do you assess overall this of ministration. well overall i think president obama's done a good job i supported him i supported his re-election i want an immigration bill he's doing everything he can i like what he did with health care the economy i want to see some improvement you know there are some areas where i would have wanted him to be bolder. but in general i believe that he's in tune with the country i believe that the the american people like him but at the same time you know he's got this congress this gridlock this mentality in washington of intense partisanship and it's very hard for him to get an agenda of energy reform

and budget issues and avoid sequenced ration when you've got the tea party and you've got some part of the electorate represented by very conservative individuals that want to defeat him wanted to fail and i worry about that when i was in congress we disagreed but we have ventura we got things done who are energy secretary need to opinion where do you stand on this controversial keystone pipeline. well i i'm not for it larry because i think that the energy situation in our country has improved we've got more shale gas natural gas development more oil extraction we've got energy efficiency everywhere private sector people towns we've got the growth of solar wind renewable energy biofuels you know by the year twenty twenty the international energy agency says

the united states is going to be energy self-sufficient now that's happened not by government not by the congress it's a natural healthy evolution this discovery of shale gas i think climate change is very important but what i do think larry is that this pipeline i worry about the environmental damage and the damage to the water it's not a crisis an energy crisis that we used to have you know three four years ago when the price was out of control we didn't have alternatives but this natural gas resolution revolution the renewable energy revolution more solar wind bio mass electric cars energy self-sufficiency and gasoline better equipped vehicles for transportation you know things are are looking up governor

it's a pleasure talking to you it's always good spending time with you i hope we meet again in person thank you so much for spending this hour with us. great larry it's important to you but you'll be back in your back it's good for the country it's good for broadcasting it's great that i'm with you thank you bill. thanks to govern the builder just said thank you for joining me on politicking with larry king sihanouk. more news today violence has once again flared up. these are the images the world has been seeing from the streets of canada. showing corporations around the day.

fact that. they would like to do the job the price is the only industry specifically mentioned in the constitution and. that's because a free and open press is critical to our democracy albus. role. in fact the single biggest threat facing our nation today is the corporate takeover of our government and our crack cynical we've been hijacked trying handful of transnational corporations that will profit by destroying what our founding fathers one still just my job market and on this show we reveal the big picture of what's actually going on in the world we go beyond identifying the problem to try rational debate in a real discussion critical issues facing to find a job ready to join the movement then welcome to the big picture.

of the that's. what's going on guys i'm abby martin and this is breaking the set so sadly these n.s.a. leaks just keep getting more depressing how to read snowden's latest installment reveals that you the u.s. shares americans raw data with its most trustworthy friend in our life you guessed it israel yes thanks to a memo just published by journalist glenn greenwald we now know that the u.s. government gives unfiltered communications transcripts and metadata to israel and although the document says that the data cannot be used to deliberately target americans absolutely no legal binding enforcement is placed on the use of the data in other words nobody isn't forcing our right to privacy but wait it gets worse.