Some Dems skipping but Titus, Reid to attend Netanyahu speech

WASHINGTON — Almost two dozen Democrats are planning to skip Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress next month. But Rep. Dina Titus said she plans to be there.

“I think it’s turned into a political mess, but I’m going to attend,” Titus said in an interview. “I don’t really want to get caught up in other people’s politics. I’m going out of respect.”

The speech has created a wedge for some Democrats, in their view forcing them to choose between Netanyahu and President Barack Obama. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, invited Netanyahu to speak to a joint session of Congress on March 3 without coordinating with the White House, which some Democrats see as an in-your-face to Obama.

Netanyahu, who faces an election back home later in the month and whose relations with Obama are not overly warm, accepted Boehner’s invitation and has declined calls to cancel. The Israeli leader will use the opportunity to call on the United States to toughen economic sanctions against Iran for its pursuit of nuclear weapons, while Obama has been trying to deal with Iran through negotiations.

Titus has favored further sanctions, leaning her closer to Netanyahu. She supports a bill making its way through the Senate that would impose new penalties if negotiators fail to reach agreement on Iran’s nuclear program by the end of June.

On Iran sanctions, “We can’t just keep kicking the can down the road,” Titus said. “You have to be firm at some point. It was sanctions that brought Iran to the table to start with and maybe more sanctions will keep them there longer.”

Also, Titus is hosting a luncheon for a group of Las Vegans belonging to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the leading pro-Israel lobby, who are coming to Washington for the Netanyahu speech, and “I don’t see how I can say to them I’m boycotting.”

Sen. Harry Reid, the Senate minority leader, told reporters he plans to attend the speech “unless something comes up.” He said senators can make a “personal decision” for themselves whether to go.

Three senators — Democrats Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Brian Schatz of Hawaii, and independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont — have said they will skip the speech, as well as 19 House Democrats according to a count late last week by The Hill, a Capitol Hill news organization. Vice President Joe Biden, who typically attends joint session speeches, will miss Netanyahu’s address while traveling in Central America, the White House said.

In a New York Times interview last month, Reid said he told Netanyahu in a telephone conversation he thought it was wrong for Boehner to extend the invitation. He said he told Netanyahu the optics of the speech could backfire on the Israeli leader by prompting some Democrats to back off support for quicker sanctions.

Reid said he did not offer Netanyahu advice whether to follow through with the speech or cancel it. “I wouldn’t do that,” he said.

Republicans, meanwhile, are laying out a welcome mat as the views of most of them track to Netanyahu. Rep. Joe Heck is “absolutely going to attend the Netanyahu address and is excited to hear the prime minister’s message,” his spokesman said.

Republican Rep. Cresent Hardy also plans to attend “and is looking forward to hearing from the prime minister,” his spokesman said.

Rep. Mark Amodei’s office on Friday still was working on his upcoming schedule, a spokesman said.

Sen. Dean Heller could not be reached for comment. He along with 50 other Republican senators co-sponsored a resolution last week welcoming Netanyahu.

“During this time of such great instability and danger in the Middle East, the United States should be unequivocal about our commitment to one of our closest and most important allies,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in the statement with the resolution.

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760. Follow @STetreaultDC on Twitter.