Rep. King Doubles Down On Asking How Jews Can Be Democrats

UNITED STATES - AUGUST 08: Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, speaks with reporters at the 2014 Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, August 8, 2014. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) (CQ Roll Call via AP Images)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) seemed to double down on questioning “how Jews in America can be Democrats.”

That back and forth with Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) follows King criticizing “Jews in America” who align themselves with President Barack Obama and the Democratic party. He made those comments on earlier on Friday.

“Well, there were some 50 or so Democrats that, that decided they would boycott the president’s speech,” King said in comments flagged by the Boston Herald Radio. “Here’s what I don’t understand, I don’t understand how Jews in America can be Democrats first and Jewish second and support Israel along the line of just following their President.”

King, the conservative firebrand and staunch immigration reform opponent, added that “the president’s policies throughout the Middle East have been a disaster. I would say to them, ‘Name a country with which we have better relations today than we had when Barak Obama took office.’ And I gave that in speeches for about six weeks until some lag stood up and said, ‘I can name you two, they are Cuba and Iran.”

King’s initial comments came after Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu delivered a speech to members of Congress, which many Democrats skipped. King says skipping the speech showed they’re “knee-jerk” supporters of Obama.

“It says this, they’re knee-jerk supporters of the President’s policy,” King said. “The President’s policies throughout the Middle East have been a disaster. I would say to them, ‘Name a country with which we have better relations today than we had when Barack Obama took office.’ And I gave that in speeches for about six weeks until some lag stood up and said, ‘I can name you two, they are Cuba and Iran.'”

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: