john mccain go that route? >> reporter: they knew he was concerned in one direction here that the president is being squeezed as you say. on one hand he has antiwar democrats from the left saying, why are we intervening at all? then you have folks like john mccain, saying intervene but don't make this a symbolic strike a shot across the bow as the president said last week. decimate assad's military. the president's team fanning out on hill. you saw secretary of state kerry and defense secretary hagel. they're back on the hill on closed hearing. yesterday was open hearings. what they're trying to do behind closed doors basically with general dempsey, we should point out, the joint chiefs chairman, make the case with intelligence behind closed doors, what they can't say in front of the cameras. i have to tell you i spoke to one top official here told me they simply do not know if they have votes in the house and senate as of today to get this