On NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday, host Chuck Todd suggested it’s possible Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial speech to Congress has backfired, though it doesn’t take place until Tuesday.
“You know, I’m wondering if Prime Minister Netanyahu defeated himself here a little bit,” Todd said. “Because the more he attacks the [Obama] administration on the deal, the more the administration wants to dig in.”
Netanyahu’s speech, made via an invitation by Republican House Speaker John Boehner without consulting the White House, is expected to be a criticism of White House negotiations with Iran over Tehran’s nuclear development program. Netanyahu has said the negotiations are not sufficient enough in preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, which Netanyahu believes would be an existential threat to Israel.
President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and several Democrats in Congress have said they will not attend the speech.
Former Sen. Joe Lieberman on “Meet the Press” said the best way to show that congressional support for Israel is bipartisan is for Democrats to show up, rather than protest, Netanyahu’s speech.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., said on the show that she didn’t want to be part of what she viewed was an attempt by GOP leadership to “divide” Congress and “stick it to the president.”
