WHIP LIST: Dems skipping Netanyahu speech (10 House Dems and 1 Senator confirm they'll skip)

The Hill ^ | 02/09/15 12:12 PM EST | Mike Lillis

[Dave346]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be giving the most controversial speech to a joint session of Congress ever by an international leader, and Vice President Biden and a number of top Democrats won’t be attending.

Netanyahu is expected to criticize the White House’s negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program in his March 3 speech. While Biden has cited a scheduling conflict, other Democrats are staying away from the speech to protest what they see as an attack on President Obama.

SKIPPING

House (10)

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) — Wrote a Jan. 29 column in The Huffington Post explaining his decision, saying the Constitution “vests the responsibility for foreign affairs in the president.”

Rep. G.K. Butterfield (N.C.) — The head of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in a statement focuses on Boehner undermining Obama; also emphasizes he's not urging a boycott.

Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) — Clyburn is the highest-ranking Democratic leader to say he’ll skip the speech.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.) — Grijalva is the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC).

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) — A spokesman told the Chicago Sun-Times Gutierrez has a "strong" record on Israel, but called the speech "a stunt."

Rep. Barbara Lee (Calif.) — A member of the Congressional Black Caucus and former head of the CPC.

Rep. John Lewis (Ga.) — His office confirmed he’s not going, but emphasizes he's not organizing a formal boycott

Rep. Jim McDermott (Wash.) — “I do not intend to attend the speech of Bibi,” he said in an email to a Seattle newspaper.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (N.Y.) — Another CBC member skipping the speech.

Rep. Charles Rangel (N.Y.)

Senate (1)

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — Sanders said it’s “wrong” that Obama wasn’t consulted about the speech.

[okie01]

Dangerous and losing proposition for Israel to intentionally become aligned with a single party, rather than with the nation.

Is it not an equally dangerous and losing proposition for the Democrat party to intentionally become aligned with Iran, an enemy of not only Israel, but also the United States?

[Reno89519]

Stand with Israel.

No. Americans should stand with America first and always. Anyone that sides against America, regardless of who is in the White House, will lose, and rightfully so. I cannot think of a more disloyal stance than to take sides of a foreign country over the US. This is why Boehner's invite is so wrong, why this is a losing proposition for Israel--and for Republicans. And throwing Obama into the mix as an excuse doesn't work and is a lame excuse for dissing America.