WH: The Authorization for Force Obama Tried Repealing Empowers Him To Act

Reporter to Earnest: Isn't It Ironic Obama Will Use Authorization He Previously Wanted To Repeal? (RealClearPolitics)

JULIE PACE, ASSOCIATED PRESS: Can I just ask whether you see any irony in using as your legal justification for these airstrikes an authorization for military force (AUMF) that the president himself has called for repeal of?

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE: The president did give a speech in May of 2013, just a little over a year ago now, where he did describe -- let me just quote his sentence and then we can talk about it a little bit. The president said:

I look forward to engaging Congress and the American people in efforts to refine, and ultimately repeal, the AUMF’s mandate.

Two sentences later he went on to say:

Our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist organizations must continue.

(Editor's note: Earnest forgot to mention what President Obama said in between those two statements: "And I will not sign laws designed to expand this mandate further.")