CNN: Obama Secures Iran Nuclear Deal with Barbara Mikulski Vote

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:

SERFATY: "Well, biggest reaction we've seen so far from the White House is from secretary of state John Kerry. And while this is a major victory for the Obama Administration, I didn't think he took a complete victory lap there with his speech. Certainly signaling that the administration understands that they do have to keep the pressure up on lawmakers. This was a big hurdle for sure for the administration to get over getting the support of senator Mikulski, the 34th senator that they needed to sustain a potential Republican veto override. That was the first key part. But Kerry really in his speech making clear that they will continue to make the case point by point why they believe the deal is a good one. Really laying out in stark terms what would happen with the deal, what would happen without the deal. And that is the argument that the administration has been making from the beginning. But Kerry really indicating in an earlier interview with Christiane Amanpour that they expect that they will continue to persuade law makers and that they would like to see the number of support tick up. Congress will be back in town next week and that's where we'll see the first moves of whether they will move to a complete vote or not. Depending on how much support the administration picks up. 
BERMAN: "You make a great point, that was no victory lap from John Kerry. He barely mentioned the political reality, the votes faced by members of Congress next week. And as you also point out, this is no blowout victory for the White House. What they have secured is 34 votes in the Senate which means that Congress cannot override a presidential veto. So a victory by the thinnest of margins. Amy Stoddard, the White House I imagine now has another number in its sight, that would be 41. 41 senators. If they can get from 34 votes to 41 votes in the Senate, it means that there could be a filibuster. It means that the Senate could never actually vote no on this, the president might never have to veto congressional action. 
STODDARD: "That's exactly right and that's why you saw secretary Kerry not taking a victory lap. The team doesn't want to rub noses in this. Even to get to 34 has been a difficult battle. The Jewish community is torn, Democratic Party is torn. This is a very, very difficult vote."