With about an hour to go until Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to address Congress, Rep. Charlie Rangel, New York Democrat, said he’d be attending the speech after initially saying he would not.
“I thought this idea was so outrageous and if a number of us indicated that we would not be present, then those who thought of this would give it second thoughts,” Mr. Rangel said Tuesday morning on CNN.
But, he said, “the damage has already been done” and that he’s been asked by friends and constituents not to add to the controversy.
“Nobody who’s asked me to attend believe that this is the right thing to do — they just don’t believe my absence would correct it,” he said.
A number of Democratic lawmakers are protesting the speech, saying House Speaker John A. Boehner broke protocol by going around the White House in issuing the invitation. Mr. Boehner has defended the move, saying Mr. Netanyahu can address the dangers posed by a nuclear Iran and radical Islam.
“This is an important message at an important time, and the prime minister is the perfect person to deliver it,” Mr. Boehner said in a new video posted on Tuesday.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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