In the News

By Craig Gilbert

Washington  -- A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore of Milwaukee called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Tuesday a “campaign stunt” and a sign of disrespect toward President Barack Obama, saying the congresswoman “wants no part of it.”

Moore is among more than 50 Democrats in the House and Senate who decided not to attend Netanyahu’s speech to a joint meeting of Congress.  Among Wisconsin Democrats, U.S. Rep Mark Pocan of Madison also opted not to attend.

The address, at the invitation of House Speaker John Boehner, is a departure from tradition, since Netanyahu's appearance here was scheduled without the involvement of or consultation with the White House.

“Congresswoman Moore believes this speech is an attempt by the Speaker and the Prime Minister to undermine President Obama, make him look bad, and publicly compromise his credibility. Let’s call this what it really is: a campaign stunt. The Congresswoman refuses to be anyone’s political prop,” said Moore spokesman Eric Harris. “It is no secret that Netanyahu objects to Obama’s diplomatic strategy regarding Iran, but that he would come to D.C. and use this platform to insult the President is both reckless and disgraceful. … Never in American history has a foreign leader been invited to speak before Congress for the sole purpose of embarrassing the President and empowering the President’s critics.”

A number of Democrats, while expressing their support for Israel, have said the speech is a slap at  Obama and has the effect of politicizing the U.S.-Israel alliance. It comes just two weeks before Netanyahu stands for re-election. Obama has cited that timing as a reason for not meeting with Netanyahu.   

Netanyahu is lobbying Congress to oppose a potential deal the U.S. is negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program, arguing that the terms are not tough enough and that Iran cannot be trusted.

The prime minister told a conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Monday that while the U.S. and Israel agree that Iran should not have nuclear weapons, "we disagree on the best way to prevent Iran from developing those weapons."

The Hill is keeping a tally of House and Senate Democrats not attending the speech, which can be found here.

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