BET Wire: Obama Chooses Diplomatic Solution to Syria Crisis – for Now

Plus, would Obama really pardon Sandi Jackson?

In Case You Missed It - Republicans leave President Obama scratching his head; Ben Carson kind of blames the spread of measles on immigrants; one lawmaker thinks it's OK if your food service worker doesn't wash his hands after a bathroom break — and more. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)

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In Case You Missed It - President Obama has put Syrian strikes on hold; Newark Mayor Cory Booker has a commanding lead in the New Jersey Senate race; some people are dreaming of a presidential pardon for disgraced former Chicago alderman Sandi Jackson; and more.  — Joyce Jones

OBAMA US SYRIA

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Giving Peace a Chance - In a major speech on the crisis in Syria, Obama announced plans to pursue a diplomatic solution offered by Russia. He is, however, keeping open the option of a military strike to deter Syria from using chemical weapons again. (Photo: Evan Vucci-Pool/Getty Images)

OBAMA US SYRIA

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It Gets Better - Things were looking up for Obama after his Sept. 10 speech on how to respond to Syria's use of chemical weapons. In a CNN/ORC poll taken that night, 61 percent of Americans said they favor the approach the president described in his speech and 69 percent said they felt very or somewhat positive about the speech.  (Photo:Evan Vucci-Pool/Getty Images)

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Almost in the Bag - A Rutgers-Eagleton poll released on Sept. 11 found that 64 percent of likely voters in New Jersey will support Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Just 29 percent said they will back his rival, Republican Steve Lonegan, a former mayor of Bogota, New Jersey. (Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)

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Fact or Fiction? - The National Review is suing Booker to gain access to records related to the murder of Newark teenager Wazn Miller, whom he said died in his arms after being shot in 2004. "We’ve asked nicely, we’ve asked firmly, we’ve asked in every way imaginable, but gotten nowhere. It is much easier to learn about the most sensitive aspects of top-secret national-security programs than it is to get Newark police records related to that day," said editor Rich Lowry. (Photo: AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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Dream On? - Former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and wife Sandi Jackson have not yet begun serving their sentences for the misuse of $750,000 in campaign funds and tax evasion. Yet there is already speculation that Obama may pardon Sandi at the end of his term when the mother of two would be halfway through her sentence. With 39 pardons, Obama has the lowest clemency rate of any president in modern history. (Photo: Alex Garcia/ Chicago Tribune/MCT)

If 40 Times They Don't Succeed - House Republicans are planning a vote on a measure that would tie funding the federal government with defunding the Affordable Care Act. "Our goal here is not to shut down the government. Our goal is to cut spending and to stop Obamacare,” said Speaker John Boehner. GOP leaders also hope to force the Senate to vote on a similar message, putting them on the record on the still-controversial law.   (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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If 40 Times They Don't Succeed - House Republicans are planning a vote on a measure that would tie funding the federal government with defunding the Affordable Care Act. "Our goal here is not to shut down the government. Our goal is to cut spending and to stop Obamacare,” said Speaker John Boehner. GOP leaders also hope to force the Senate to vote on a similar message, putting them on the record on the still-controversial law.  (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Voters Stand Their Ground Against Gun Control - Voters in Colorado threw Democratic state Sens. John Morse and Angela Giron out of office in September because of their support of new gun-control laws that mandate background checks on private gun sales and limit magazine clips to 15 rounds.(Photo: Helen H. Richardson/ The Denver Post)

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Guns Control - Colorado state Sens. John Morse and Angela Giron paid the price for their state's implementation of tougher gun laws. The two lawmakers were defeated in a recall election on Sept. 10. Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz blamed their loss on a "vast array of obstacles that special interests threw in the way of voters [to reverse] the will of the legislature and the people." (Photo: Helen H. Richardson/ The Denver Post)

Photo By Photo: Helen H. Richardson/ The Denver Post

Crossfire - Former White House green adviser Van Jones has joined the Fourth Estate. He has joined CNN as a co-host of the rebooted political debate program Crossfire. Jones and former Obama campaign adviser Stephanie Cutter will represent the left, opposite former House speaker and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and conservative columnist/pundit S.E. Cupp.   (Photo: Courtesy CNN)

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Crossfire - Former White House green adviser Van Jones has joined the Fourth Estate. He has joined CNN as a co-host of the rebooted political debate program Crossfire. Jones and former Obama campaign adviser Stephanie Cutter will represent the left, opposite former House speaker and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and conservative columnist/pundit S.E. Cupp.  (Photo: Courtesy CNN)

Ambassador Lee - California Rep. Barbara Lee has been nominated to be a congressional representative to the U.N. She and Republican Rep. Mark Meadows will have to be confirmed by the Senate. The gig doesn't mean they'll be leaving the House. Like millions of Americans around the nation, they'll have two jobs.  (Photo: Oakland Tribune/MCT /Landov)

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Ambassador Lee - California Rep. Barbara Lee has been nominated to be a congressional representative to the U.N. She and Republican Rep. Mark Meadows will have to be confirmed by the Senate. The gig doesn't mean they'll be leaving the House. Like millions of Americans around the nation, they'll have two jobs. (Photo: Oakland Tribune/MCT /Landov)

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Seems Like Old Times - Former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson returned to Capitol Hill on Sept. 10 to spar with lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee over her use of a secondary email address under the alias Richard Windsor. “I had a secondary official government account like my predecessors before me, and that was done for time management and to be able to do my job,” Jackson said. (Photo: AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File)

Physician Heal Thyself - Fox News psychiatrist Keith Ablow says Americans have been suffering from Stockholm Syndrome in the aftermath of 9/11. That’s why, he believes, they elected Obama, "who doesn't even like us, he hates us."   (Photo: Courtesy Keith Ablow)

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Physician Heal Thyself - Fox News psychiatrist Keith Ablow says Americans have been suffering from Stockholm Syndrome in the aftermath of 9/11. That’s why, he believes, they elected Obama, "who doesn't even like us, he hates us." (Photo: Courtesy Keith Ablow)