When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled a speech before the US Congress with House Speaker John Boehner, the shit hit the fan.
It was a brazen political end-run around the US President, designed to help Netanyahu raise his profile before the upcoming Israeli elections and position Boehner as the go-to guy on foreign policy, in place of Obama.
The White House pushed back — and hard. Now the question is whether Democratic members of Congress should attend the event. If they go, they’re boosting Boehner; if they boycott, they’re disrespecting Israel.
The Bitemaster isn’t sure what he’d do were he a member of Congress. Maybe attend the speech and heckle the PM in the best Joe Wilson style.
Democrats might skip Benjamin Netanyahu speech – Edward-Isaac Dovere and Jake Sherman – POLITICO.
The Washington Post’s Greg Sargent reported earlier Wednesday that Jewish Democrats in the House had considered putting out a statement calling for Netanyahu’s speech to be delayed. But they couldn’t agree on what it should say.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/israeli-ambassador-meeting-house-dems-netanyahu-speech