Nevada Republicans applaud Netanyahu speech; Dems frustrated

WASHINGTON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech urging Congress to take a firmer hand on Iran than what is being pursued by President Barack Obama was applauded by Nevada Republicans but was greeted with frustration by Democrats.

Netanyahu’s speech “was right on point, fair and direct,” said GOP Rep. Cresent Hardy.

“It’s pretty clear this guy is a leader with a capital “L” — somebody people in many positions of responsibility could learn a lot from,” said Republican Rep. Mark Amodei.

Democratic Rep. Dina Titus said Netanyahu’s speech was “powerful,” but didn’t contain any surprises. Before turning thumbs up or down on Obama’s effort, “I want to see what the deal is,” she said.

“I hated all the politics that surrounded it, but it’s over now and we’ve got to be sure we stick to the common principle that Iran not get nuclear weapons,” Titus said.

It was Netanyahu’s third address to a joint meeting of Congress, but a politics-heavy backstory helped elevate this one to a major event on Capitol Hill.

House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation to Netanyahu was extended without notice to the White House, and was seen by Democrats as a smack on Obama, who is engaged in negotiations with Iran over its pursuit of nuclear weapons capability.

The prime minister’s message that the deal being pursued by Obama is a bad one that threatens world safety generally fell in line with the Republican view.

“The current negotiations pursued by the Obama administration would not prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” said Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., who sits on the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees.

“Iran will never stop its march toward obtaining a nuclear weapon, and I am glad Prime Minister Netanyahu came before Congress to underscore the gravity of the situation,” Heck said.

“Now, more than ever, the United States must stand with Israel and its right to defend itself,” said Republican Sen. Dean Heller. “There must be no daylight between America and Israel on this issue.”

About four dozen Democrats boycotted the speech, and some members of the Congressional Black Caucus who attended gave Netanyahu a cool reception.

All six Nevada lawmakers attended. Amodei, Heck and Heller stood together near the back of the chamber, Hardy sat nearby. Titus, arriving just before the speech, found a folding chair.

Reid, the Senate minority leader, sat front and center, but was not demonstrative and had his arms folded for stretches of the address.

After meeting with Netanyahu privately later in the day, Reid said in a statement that “everyone should take a deep breath.”

“I believe that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon through tough, smart diplomacy is the best option,” Reid said. “We should provide time and space for the negotiations currently underway to play out. But all options must remain on the table to deal with Iran if talks fail.”

Earlier, at the outset of Netanyahu’s speech, the prime minister in what appeared to be an unscripted moment publicly greeted Reid, prompting a bipartisan standing ovation for the Nevadan recovering from a grisly facial and eye injury.

“Harry, it’s good to see you on your feet,” the Israeli leader said. “I guess it’s true what they say, ‘You can’t keep a good man down.’”

“I wish I didn’t deserve it,” Reid quipped to a New York Times reporter afterward about Netanyahu’s shout-out.

The atmosphere surrounding the Netanyahu speech rivaled that of some presidential addresses. The House chamber was full, as were the visitor galleries overlooking the floor.

Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson, a strong supporter of Netanyahu, sat in a front row of the gallery alongside his wife, Miriam, and a few seats over from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Miriam Adelson caused a little stir when she dropped her purse from the gallery. It struck Rep. Brad Ashford, D-Neb., who wasn’t hurt. She later apologized.

Adelson joined in several of the standing ovations given the Israeli leader.

Afterward, Adelson attended a post-speech reception where Netanyahu was said to be in attendance, along with members of Congress and other figures including singer Pat Boone, former Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and attorney Alan Dershowitz. He did not comment and was left the Capitol after a short while.

Meanwhile, Titus set up a projector in a room near her office so Las Vegans in Washington for a conference of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee this week could watch the address together. Afterward Titus hosted a lunch also attended by Amodei, Hardy and House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

A Titus spokeswoman said there were 90 guests, including 82 from Southern Nevada. Among them were Elliot Karp, president and chief executive of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, and Rabbi Felipe Goodman, spiritual leader of Temple Beth Sholom, in Las Vegas.

Washington Post writer Colby Itkowitz contributed to this report. Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760. Find him on Twitter: @STetreaultDC.