Graham, Durbin debate War Powers Act

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) debated President Obama’s need to get authorization for the war in Libya on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, but it was the Republican who defended the president’s prerogatives.

Graham argued that the War Powers Act is unconstitutional because it is an “infringement on the power of the “commander-in-chief.”

He said he have “no part of any effort to defund” the effort to oust Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi. He said if he is not removed from power, NATO will be destroyed, and the price of oil will double as Gadhafi wreaks havoc in the region.

{mosads}“Congress should shut up and not empower Gadhafi,” he said.

Graham reiterated his criticism of GOP presidential candidates in recent days saying the GOP should not become isolationist. Graham last week compared Mitt Romney to Jimmy Carter, a deep GOP insult.

He said if anyone thinks the route to the nomination “is to get to the left of President Obama” on Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya “you are going to meet a lot of headwinds.”

Durbin agreed that Gadhafi needs to be stopped and said any effort to defund the war would “give solace to Gadhafi.”

He said however that under the War Powers Act, Obama must get authorization for continued attacks on Libya. Durbin’s position puts him at odds with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) who said Friday the Act does not apply to Libya.

Sunday marks 90 days since the U.S. attacked Libya, a milestone after which the president is required to get congressional authorization, according to Durbin.