Posted on 02/18/2015 5:45:45 AM PST by SJackson
The final numbers are not yet in, but it seems clear that the White House-orchestrated campaign to boycott Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress is collapsing.
Despite two weeks of intense anti-Netanyahu leaks, insults, and pressure, the White House has so far succeeded in persuading only a handful of Democratic members of Congress to stay away from the speech.
A grand total of two Senators and twelve Representatives have publicly announced that they are boycotting Israel’s prime minister. Assuming that those figures change only marginally in the days ahead, it will mean that 98% of the Senate and 95% of the House of Representatives will be in attendance.
Even the most vocal critics of Prime Minister Netanyahu, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, are not united against the Israeli leader. Emerging from a meeting with President Obama last week, Caucus chairman Rep. G.K. Butterfield told reporters, that the subject of Netanyahu’s speech “didn’t come up” during their 90-minute meeting with the president. But he then proceeded to chastise Israel’s prime minister for supposedly being “disrespectful” to the president, and Congressman Hank Johnson said it was “about President Barack Obama being a black man disrespected by a foreign leader.”
But not all the African-American congress members joined the anti-Netanyahu chorus. U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), who is the only senator in the Congressional Black Caucus, refused to toe the line. The Politico reports that when his colleagues began lambasting Prime Minister Netanyahu, reporters asked Booker where he stood, and he pointedly dissented, saying “I’ve been asked that a number of times–I’m not commenting.”
Knowing of Senator Booker’s longtime support for Israel and close relationship with many American Jewish leaders, we find it difficult that he will go along with an insulting and disrespectful boycott of Israel’s prime minister.
Another major crack in the anti-Netanyahu boycott effort appeared this weekend in the form of a message from Elie Wiesel in a full page advertisement in the New York Times and Washington Post, sponsored by “This World: The Values Network.”
The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate has always been something of a moral compass for the Jewish people–certainly far more than the two or three Jewish organizational leaders who have been quoted as opposing Netanyahu’s visit. We all remember Wiesel bravely confronting President Reagan over his visit to the Bitburg cemetery, not to mention his speaking out on so many other important issues over the years. So Wiesel’s words in the Times and Post ads carry particular weight.
Wiesel announced that he will personally attend Netanyahu’s speech. He appealed to President Obama and Vice President Biden to “put aside the politics” and hear what Israel’s prime minister has to say. He pointed out that Netanyahu will speak to Congress the day before Purim–the day when, in ancient times, “a wicked man in Persia named Haman” sought to destroy the Jews…”Now Iran, modern Persia, has produced a new enemy,” Wiesel wrote. “The Ayatollah Khomeini has been as clear as his predecessor in declaring his goal: ‘the annihilation and destruction’ of Israel. He is bent on acquiring the weapons needed to make good on the deadly promise.”
Finally, it’s worth mentioning another crack that appeared in the boycott effort this week. The pro-Palestinian lobbying group J Street, which has been the engine driving the boycott movement, has been circulating a poll claiming that 84% of American Jews support President Obama’s position on Iran.
But now the fraudulent methods used to elicit that 84% number have been exposed. It turns out that the respondents were not asked about the actual terms that Obama is negotiating with Iran. They were asked whether they would support an imaginary agreement under which Iran would completely and permanently give up its capability to produce nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, that is not at all what President Obama is insisting upon, according to numerous news reports.
A genuinely objective poll, which asked American Jews whether they want the U.S. to insist that Iran be permanently prevented from having the ability to manufacture nuclear weapons, would surely find the vast majority of Jews in favor.
When Prime Minister Netanyahu appears next month before Congress, with the overwhelming majority of Congress members from both parties in attendance, he will explain the truth about the Iranian threat and the danger of the U.S. agreeing to weak and unenforceable terms.
And that, of course, is what the Obama Administration, J Street, and the other Netanyahu-bashers most wish to prevent.
Make sure the names of these idiots that did boycott Netanyahu get printed so we can show them how fast they can be replaced when voting time comes around again..Not to worry about the black congress they would get voted back into office because they are black..and for no other reason.
Some good news.
Although certainly obama won’t go down without somehow trying to sabotage Netanyahu while he is here. Like carry out a terrorist attack or school shooting to coincide with Netanyahu’s visit...you know to take the attention away from Netanyahu. No no, what am I saying? Obama would never do that.
We need to know who IS going to boycott Bibi’s appearance and speech and load their phone lines and email up with “You’re an Anti-Semite”....Two can play the same game, Hank Johnson - you poor excuse for a representative....
The WienerMobile wrecked the other day :( I’ve been on it, love the thing.
Liberal Jewish donors are very important to the Democrats. Democrats up for election do not want to piss them off. And boycotting Netanyahu will do this despite Netanyahu being a right wing figure from a right wing Likud party.
Hussein Obama is not up for election so feels free to let it all hang out on how he hates Netanyahu and Israel. Helping Iran get all nuked up shows Obama’s Israel hatred.
What we have here is a good score by John Boehner to rope in more Jewish donors and egg on his Muzzie face for Hussein 0Zero
Israel has agreed, over the decades, to a large majority of Muslims ever increasing demands. It is not enough for the American Jewish community.
I disagree.
Hank Johnson has clearly proven to the world he is a brilliant man, as we recall he schooled an entire senate hearing including DoD officials that Guam would tip over and capsize if you put too many troops on one end.
I predict the mind will continue to boggle.
*
So what’s the big deal Netanyahu addresses Congress....
He’s been there before to address Congress.
May 24,2011 and July 20,1996
We need to start talking about IMPEACHING OBAMA!
“He pointed out that Netanyahu will speak to Congress the day before Purim...”
interesting...unfortunately the parallels are getting scary
How did this congresscritter get off of Guam before is capsized?
Page down on this Hot Air link to watch johnson claim that the US Marines will cause Guam to capsize.
http://hotair.com/archives/2014/12/12/house-dem-these-ignorant-ben-carson-supporters-certainly-do-remind-me-of-a-lynch-mob/
0bama better tread carefully. Look what happened to Ariel Sharon when he broke up Gaza.
Those Jews are buying the rope that will hang them in the end. When that happens, they will be demanding that Israel get them out of the mess they’ve created for themselves.
My honest opinion? I think The One has figured out fancy accounting methods to liberate taxpayer funds into special accounts to be used as he sees fit and he is “redistributing” the wealth to everyone who helps him perpetrate the scheme. I can see no other reason to fall in lockstep and go againstbthe will of The American People with such vehemency.
Yeah, but did he spell "Potato(e)?"
“We need to know who IS going to boycott Bibi’s appearance and speech and load their phone lines and email up with “You’re an Anti-Semite”....Two can play the same game, Hank Johnson - you poor excuse for a representative....”
Wonder what Hank’s objection would be if the visiting speaker were Black?
> I have called Boehner and my local Representative to ask why things are not moving to remove BO from office? I said things are spiraling out of control and it’s Congress that will have blood on their hands for doing nothing about Obama. I’m sure it fell on deaf ears.
Call as a Muslim next time.../s
One grew up the other didn’t and still stoned.
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