LIEBERMAN: I did. With all respect to Arlen, I want to explain why I made the decision not to go to Damascus. Look, there's a general principle of, I don't think America should hesitate to think about talking to anybody. But when we talk about people who are hostile to us, who have blood on their hands like the Syrians, we have to talk to them at a time when it can benefit us, not them.
When we're in a position of strength, not to try to strengthen them. The fact is, there's ever reason to believe that Bashar Assad has started this kind of communications offensive to distract the world from holding his regime accountable for the assassination of the Lebanese leader Hariri, and more recently, of the Christian Lebanese leader Gemayel.
This regime of his in Syria has allowed al Qaida foreign fighters to go across Syria and into Iraq, where they have killed American soldiers. So I don't think that -- I think, in fact, we serve his purposes when we talk to him.
And in this case, I believe the Bush administration and Secretary Rice have it right. And when some of us in the Senate go to see Assad in Damascus, contrary to the position the administration has taken, it sends a mixed signal, and it weakens our position. And I think it leads him to achieve a public relations victory that he doesn't deserve.
BLITZER: I want to move on, but I want you to, I want you to...
SPECTER: May I give a response?
BLITZER: Senator Specter, I want you to respond. And then we'll move on.
SPECTER: OK. Well, the Congress, senators, have a very deep responsibility on foreign policy. I serve on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and foreign operations, chaired the Intelligence Committee. We vote for $8 billion a month for Iraq and Afghanistan, $500 billion a year for the military and homeland defense, and constitutionally we have a responsibility.
And senators are independent. Under our constitution, there is a separation of power. And it is true that the president has primary responsibility for foreign policy, but not exclusive responsibility.
And I respect what the administration is doing, but there are others of us who have been in the region who have studied it intently and have some useful suggestions to make. And I think that independence is the strength of our system, and I intend to exercise it.
BLITZER: I'll give you one more chance to respond, and then we'll move on.
LIEBERMAN: Well, of course, senators have a right to go. I just think it was the wrong time to go to Damascus because it encourages Assad and allows him to distract from the terrible things he's done, like killing the Lebanese leaders and letting al Qaida go through his country into Iraq where they kill American soldiers. He doesn't deserve a meeting now.
Lieberman gets it, Specter does not. I was appalled at the Senators from both sides of the aisle considering a Syria-Iran-US Senate Senate summit..
I was sick listening to this man, our President campaigned to re-elect, talk like a libeal Democrat.
I'll just bet he wanted to move on after Lieberman started talking sense.