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President Obama speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House on Thursday. Photograph: Susan Walsh/AP

Related: Obama fights to contain Republican rebellion over Iran nuclear deal

President Barack Obama on Saturday again called the nuclear accord reached with Iran this week a good deal, as he continued to face fierce opposition on the issue from Republicans.

In what the president called a historic understanding, Iran agreed on Thursday to a framework deal that would dramatically constrain its nuclear program in return for the gradual lifting of economic sanctions.

This framework is the result of tough, principled diplomacy, Obama said in his weekly address to the nation. Its a good deal a deal that meets our core objectives, including strict limitations on Irans program and cutting off every pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon.

Under the broad deal, which was negotiated with other world powers, Iran is allowed to keep its nuclear facilities, which it insists are for peaceful uses and which will be subject to enhanced inspections. The deal is not yet final.

Opposition in Washington has been brewing since the start of the talks nearly 18 months ago. But with a final deal in sight, Republicans and some Democrats are demanding a say in the decision to relieve sanctions.

Obama has repeated that the deal will be called off if Iran balks at any stage, saying the deal is not based on trust but rather unprecedented verification.

On Saturday, former governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, a possible presidential candidate in 2016, added his voice to Republican opposition to the deal saying he doubted anything from Iran was verifiable, and criticizing Secretary of State John Kerry and the Obama administration over the way the negotiations played out.

Were expecting something good from bad people, he said on CNN.

Link:
Obama: Iran deal blocks 'every pathway' to development of nuclear weapon

LONDON As Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz announced on March 23 that he is running for president, his Virginia audience cheered. He dropped applause line after applause line on some 10,000 students at Liberty University, which bills itself as the largest Christian university in the world.

Cruz riffed, unimaginatively, on an imagine theme, asking the young audience to imagine a president who would repeal Obamacare and perform other feats. There was applause throughout. But one line prompted the students to erupt into a roaring, 30-second, standing ovation: Instead of a president who boycotts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, imagine a president who stands unapologetically with the nation of Israel.

It brought down the house.

There can be little doubt. Evangelical Christian voters, a key component of the Republican Party base, are wild about Israel. They are also furious about what they see as President Barack Obamas rough treatment of the current custodian of the Holy Land, Netanyahu. This fervent evangelical support for Israel could help a GOP candidate seize the Republican Partys presidential nomination and then capture the White House.

Among conservative Republicans, according to a July 2014 Pew Research poll, 77 percent back Israel, while only 4 percent favor the Palestinians in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Among all Republicans and voters who lean Republican, 78 percent of white evangelical Protestants sympathize with Israel, compared again to just 4 percent who side with the Palestinians.

Evangelicals have a passion for Israel. Forty-six percent of white evangelicals believe that Washington is not supportive enough of Israel, according to an October 2013 Pew Research poll. Only 31 percent of Americas Jews feel the same way. The animating force behind Christian passion for Israel can be found in the Bible. Eighty-two percent of white evangelicals believe Israel was given to the Jews by God. Among Jews, only 40 percent find a divine hand behind a Jewish Israel. Many evangelicals believe biblical prophecy that Israels existence is necessary to set the stage for the return of Jesus Christ.

Evangelicals might also view Israel as a reliable steward of the Holy Land. Israel has maintained many Christian sites and keeps the areas accessible to visitors. Should Islamic extremists such as the Islamic State group, which is busy destroying historical artifacts ever seize control of a Palestinian state, results for sacred Christian sites could be catastrophic.

But support on the American right for Israel may also have to do with an attitude toward Islam informed by national security concerns. Pew found in a June 2014 survey that 72 percent of those describing themselves as steadfast conservatives believe the Islamic religion is more likely than others to encourage violence, compared to just 13 percent of liberals.

Traditionally, backing for Israel has been viewed as a lure for Jewish votes. That will still be true during the 2016 presidential cycle, particularly in the general election. This has long bolstered the Democratic Party, however. With Republican candidates advocating strong support for Israel, they could cause many Jewish voters to defect to the GOP, and undermine the Democratic nominee.

Jewish voters in Florida, which Obama won in 2012, counted for 5 percent of the states vote. Given the extreme tightness of the presidential contests there, a shift of Jewish voters to the Republican camp could turn the state from blue to red.

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GOPs road to power runs through Israel

Scalise discusses the 2016 House Republican Budget

By: RepSteveScalise

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Scalise discusses the 2016 House Republican Budget - Video

Republican Fox News #39;Expert #39; Lies About Future Of Iran Nuclear Deal
"Cenk Uygur (http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur) host of The Young Turks discusses the reactions from various leaders to the new Iran Nuclear Deal. Everyone seems to have something to say about...

By: The Young Turks

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Republican Fox News 'Expert' Lies About Future Of Iran Nuclear Deal - Video

SPRINGDALE -- Gov. Asa Hutchinson has appointed a middle-school teacher and longtime Republican activist to the Washington County Quorum Court's empty seat.

Sharon Lloyd, 55, last month began representing Springdale's District 2, a segment of town bordered by Tontitown, Elm Springs and much of northern and eastern Springdale. She'll serve until the end of 2016 and can't run for re-election.

Lloyd takes the place of Republican Jimmy Mardis, who resigned earlier this year after no one ran for the position in the November election. In that situation, state law required Mardis to stay on the Quorum Court or quit.

Lloyd said she hopes to be a conservative and attentive member of the county team.

"I'm not shy about asking questions. I'm not shy about giving opinions," she said. "My agenda is to serve the people of Washington County and represent Springdale."

Lloyd comes from leadership positions in county and state Republican groups, including a district director position with the Arkansas Federation of Republican Women. She has volunteered with political campaigns every two years and last year helped with Women Speak Out, an anti-abortion group.

"I'm just one of your big political junkies," Lloyd said, but her passion hadn't led to public office before. "This is the first rodeo."

Lloyd comes in during a busy time for the Quorum Court. At her first meeting, she voted with most of the other justices of the peace to pay $1 million of foreclosure fees owed to the state in 12 monthly payments. Since then, concern over whether the county Road Department did a shoddy job building bridges has become an ongoing controversy.

Lance Johnson, chairman of the Washington County Republicans, described Lloyd as "strong-willed" but easy to work with.

"She's been involved with the Republican party at several levels for probably 25 years," he said. "I think she is a very conservative Republican, and she's absolutely a lady that gets things done."

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Middle-school teachers takes Republican post on Washington County Quorum Court