(CNN) -- In a televised address Monday night, U.S. President Barack Obama explained the reasons he involved the U.S. military in the U.N.-authorized mission in Libya, saying "it was not in our national interest" to let the citizens of a rebel stronghold suffer a massacre at the hands of approaching pro-government forces. 

Obama also said that NATO would take full control of the military mission on Wednesday. 

Following is a collection of reactions from people including U.S. politicians and political analysts. 

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona: 

"I think that the first part of his speech was excellent, and he laid out the reasons why it was important to intervene and what would have happened in Benghazi. ... He made a strong case." 

"Then ... he made a very puzzling comment, and that was (regime change by force) would be a mistake. Gadhafi must have been comforted by that." 

"The president's policy is Gadhafi must go. I think there's a chance, if we keep the pressure on, Gadhafi could be thrown under the bus (by people surrounding him.)" 

"It's clear we're on the side of the rebels in this conflict. ... (But) if we tell Gadhafi, 'Don't worry, you're not going to be removed by force,' I think that's very encouraging for Gadhafi." 

Fareed Zakaria, host of CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS": 

"It was actually an important speech. It was quite carefully constructed. It had a humanitarian angle, a strategic angle. But at the heart of what Obama is saying is that there are places in the world where the United States does not have vital national interests, where we have not been attacked, but we have limited interests and we're going to try to find a way to have some kind of limited military response." 
What is the president's policy on Gadhafi?
 Gadhafi must go