Biden Won't Attend Netanyahu's Speech To Congress

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

By DYLAN SCOTT Published FEBRUARY 6, 2015, 2:17 PM EST

Vice President Joe Biden won't attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress on Iran next month, the vice president's office confirmed to TPM Friday. The news was first reported by the Associated Press.

Biden's office said that the vice president, who ordinarily would sit alongside House Speaker John Boehner during a joint session of Congress, is expected to be traveling abroad.

"We are not ready to announce details of his trip yet, and normally our office wouldn't announce this early," the vice president's office told TPM in an email, "but the planning process has been underway for a while."

Boehner's invitation for Netanyahu to speak, extended without consultation with the Obama administration, has been met with significant anger from Democrats.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/biden-netanyahu-speech-traveling

[Hulk]

1. Good!

There isn't a Congressman that should be sitting in the audience. This is what the maniac deserves, and boner as well.

[forest444]

16. Netanyahoo has gone too far

He's a smart man, and knows he shouldn't meddle in U.S. politics - just as we don't meddle in Israel's even though it's no secret Obama and Kerry (and most of the rest of humanity) would rather have the Labor Party back in office in Jerusalem.

Make no mistake though: now that he knows the GOP has his back no matter what, Bibi will become increasingly brazen in his encroachments into our politics; expect more of these stunts as Campaign 2016 gets closer.

[msanthrope]

2. He has a Trans-Am to wash.....(GOOD on Biden!!!)

http://www.theonion.com/articles/shirtless-biden-washes-trans-am-in-white-house-dri,2718/

[bravenak]

4. +1 That's my favorite.

[msanthrope]

6. I bet Jill framed that for him. nt

[bravenak]

9. I bet she got a kick out of it. I see Joe like this in my mind now.

I keep wondering if he still has this car and why his wife let him keep it. Then I'm like, duh. The Onion. Seems so real.

[msanthrope]

10. I bet Biden emailed it to everyone he knows. nt

[bravenak]

11. I would have.nt

[Paladin]

3. Glad to hear it. Good move, Mr. VP. (nt)

[libdem4life]

5. Won't that be a lopsided photo op. Who will be next to "travel"? n/t

[DonViejo]

7. Netanyahu....

"oh! The PM had another engagement scheduled for the same time, somehow we overlooked it."

[libdem4life]

8. Good One.

[Action_Patrol]

15. Too bad that the seats aren't reserved.

When their are empty seats, they just fill them with Pages and staffers. It's probably been 10 years or more but I remember them having to do it for another visiting dignitary.

[myrna minx]

12. This is BFD!

[old guy]

13. Hopefully,

this will send a signal to all Dems: Just say no.

[Ken Burch]

14. Good. Now the rest of the Dems need to have the stones to follow his example.

Any Democrat who attends this speech is helping sabotage the diplomatic efforts of a Democratic president-and there's no excuse for that.

[PoliticAverse]

17. "Biden ... is expected to be traveling abroad."

[Sherman A1]

18. K&R!

[srican69]

19. will Mitch McConnell sit in Biden's place just to manage optics

You never know what these pukes are capable of.

[24601]

25. McConnell is not the ranking Senator, nor is he in the line of Presidential succession. That's Hatch

of Utah, the Senate President pro tempore, who also falls after the Vice President and House Speaker and before the Secretary of State when it comes to succession to the Presidency. The President pro tempore is the only Constitutional Officer (Article 1, Section 3) among senators.

[George II]

20. There's going to be a lot of travel plans announced over the next couple of weeks.....

....along with a number of other things come up like rearranging sock drawers, planting spring flowers, etc.

[ybbor]

21. The planning process has been underway ...

For about a week.

You go Joe! Wherever you want to go, and be sure to have fun and send Boner some pictures.

[eggplant]

22. The dems should caucus about something else during the speech n/t

[sheshe2]

23. Bravo Joe Biden~

[NCjack]

24. Kick Bibi where it hurts. Screw down the US assistance he gets. nt

[Purveyor]

26. Thank you Mr. Vice President!

[nilesobek]

27. I can only hope this cuts down on the standing ovations Netanyahu gets.