Obama administration officials’ frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apparently reached the breaking point. One senior U.S. official called the Israeli leader “a chickens**t” because “the only thing he’s interested in is protecting himself from political defeat.”
House Speaker Boehner (R-Ohio) is outraged — not by Netanyahu’s antics straining U.S./Israeli ties, but because of the anonymous criticism of the prime minister.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Wednesday said that profanity-laced attacks on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from senior Obama administration officials were an implicit reflection of President Obama’s views, adding that the official who called Netanyahu “chickens—” should be fired. […]Boehner said that the administration officials should be dismissed. “The president sets the tone for his administration. He either condones the profanity and disrespect used by the most senior members of his administration, or he does not,” Boehner said.“It is time for him to get his house in order and tell the people that can’t muster professionalism that it is time to move on,” Boehner added.
Of course, in 2008, it was none other than John Boehner who condemned then-candidate Obama as “chickens**t” over some votes in the Illinois state legislature.
You see, John Boehner sets the tone for John Boehner, and he either condones the profanity and disrespect Boehner uses, or he does not. Perhaps it’s time for Boehner to tell Boehner that if he can’t muster professionalism then it may be time to move on.
Indeed, this really just scratches the surface of the Speaker’s latest nonsense.
First, the Ohio Republican now seems to believe presidents can punch foreign leaders in the nose, but presidents can’t have unnamed officials criticizing foreign leaders in a not-for-attribution interview. It apparently depends on whether the GOP likes the head of state or not.
Second, given his comments, it almost sounds as if the Speaker wants Obama to go on some kind of apology tour, in case Netanyahu’s feelings were hurt.
Indeed, Boehner went on to say this morning, “Over the last several months, I have watched the administration insult ally after ally. I am tired of the administration’s apology tour.”
I suppose it’s possible the Speaker doesn’t know what an “apology” is, because in this context, these comments just don’t make any sense. When an administration official called Netanyahu “chickens**t,” does the Speaker think that was a word of contrition? If not, why exactly is he “tired of the administration’s apology tour” that doesn’t exist?
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."