Obama Methodically Wooed Democrats to Back Iran Nuclear Deal

Six days after reaching the nuclear deal with Iran, the White House in July set up what aides dubbed an “anti-war room” in the basement of the West Wing.

The windowless hub became the seat of the administration’s aggressive campaign to push back against critics of the deal. Whiteboards listed lawmakers’ positions. Computer screens logged onto Twitter to monitor commentary from opponents, and a small television helped staffers keep tabs on the cable-news debate. For weeks, the operation buzzed with senior White House officials, digital gurus and rank-and-file aides running...