Alright, folks, hold onto your hats because here comes another head-scratcher from the Harris camp.
Vice President Kamala Harris has decided not to preside over or attend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress on Wednesday. Instead, we have Senator Ben Cardin from Maryland stepping in for the occasion.
Why, you ask? Well, Harris is busy with her presidential campaign in Indianapolis. Yes, she’s running for president now that President Joe Biden made a dramatic exit from his re-election campaign and handed her the baton to face off against Donald Trump.
While Harris is off trying to win hearts in the Midwest, she’s expected to have a little side chat with Netanyahu at some point. But don’t hold your breath for a comment from her office—they didn’t even bother responding when asked about this snub.
Today’s cover: Kamala Harris skipping Netanyahu’s speech to Congress to address sorority event instead https://t.co/EOHbMQWubi pic.twitter.com/vTljkcdRBk
— New York Post (@nypost) July 24, 2024
Senator Patty Murray also passed on the chance to preside over the address, confirming she won’t be attending either. It seems dozens of liberal lawmakers are planning to boycott Netanyahu’s speech as well. So, it’s no surprise the Democrats are having a hard time getting someone to step up. Murray released a statement about pushing for a ceasefire, but let’s be real—it’s just another excuse to avoid facing the music.
Let’s not forget that Netanyahu’s visit is aimed at solidifying bipartisan support for Israel. He’s facing immense pressure to strike a cease-fire deal to end the fighting in Gaza. But as always, Harris, who loves to criticize Netanyahu and show empathy for Palestinian civilians, is conveniently unavailable.
The Vice President is supposed to preside over joint sessions of Congress. @KamalaHarris refusal to do so when the Prime Minister of Israel makes his first public address in the United States since Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, tells you everything you need to know about…
— David M Friedman (@DavidM_Friedman) July 23, 2024
Senator Cardin, an Orthodox Jew and a vocal advocate for Israel will be stepping in for this diplomatic dance. Netanyahu, meanwhile, plans to meet with Biden, who’s recovering from Covid (again), and possibly with former President Donald Trump. Imagine that—a meeting with Trump might actually be more productive than waiting for Harris to show some backbone.
And what about Biden? Netanyahu probably sees him as a lame duck, especially now that he’s out of the race. The real question is how Biden plans to use his final months in office. Will he pressure Netanyahu for a ceasefire to polish up his legacy, or just continue his routine of barely keeping it together?
SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON: “It is outrageous to me and inexcusable that Kamala Harris is boycotting [PM Netanyahu’s speech]. Kamala Harris will abandon her seat. She will not be there because she refuses to attend. She needs to be held accountable for that.”pic.twitter.com/wkWhNja6Rr
— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) July 23, 2024
So, let’s see how Harris handles this balancing act. Meeting Netanyahu is now more significant than ever, but will she rise to the occasion or just cackle her way through it? Stay tuned because this is shaping up to be quite the political spectacle.
