His approach is designed to create a binary choice: If you oppose this accord, you bear responsibility for whatever happens. That “I know best and you’re irresponsible if you don’t agree” approach is offensive, not only to many Republicans but also to Democrats whose support the president needs to pass the deal.

Meanwhile, there is no one on the Iranian side to help sell this agreement. This isn’t a peace treaty with heroic actions and actors (certainly not on the Iranian side). The administration is in the terrible position of having to defend the agreement and, in a sense, defending Iran, because even the most articulate Iranian voices are viewed as proxies or shills of the Iranian regime. There is no Anwar Sadat, Nelson Mandela, King Hussein, or Yitzhak Rabin who can inspire and sway Congress or U.S. public opinion. One poll released Tuesday found that a majority of Americans don’t believe Iran will abide by an agreement. Iranian denunciations, particularly from hard-liners, will raise questions about Iran’s commitment to the agreement. It doesn’t help that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has not wholeheartedly endorsed the agreement and has questioned the trustworthiness of U.S. negotiators.