Issa: ‘We Should Thank’ Giuliani For Questioning Obama’s Patriotism

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., questions witness Jennifer O’Connor of the Office of the White House Counsel who once worked at the IRS, during the committee... House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., questions witness Jennifer O’Connor of the Office of the White House Counsel who once worked at the IRS, during the committee's hearing on "IRS Obstruction: Lois Lerner’s missing e-mails" on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) MORE LESS
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Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) on Sunday defended former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s (R) comments questioning President Obama’s patriotism.

“The reality is that Rudy has taken our debate — and I think we should thank him for this part of it — back to national security, to the key element that the president should be focusing on,” Issa said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He needs to call it Islamic terrorism. He can’t be looking at everything through the vision that somehow that if you treat people better or more democratic, you’re not going to have terrorism.”

Giuliani came under fire this week after he said that Obama doesn’t “love America” and that Obama isn’t as “patriotic” as other presidents were.

Issa on Sunday said that Giuliani’s criticisms weren’t partisan.

“He governed a city that was vast majority Democratic. He’s not a partisan politician in any real way,” Issa said.

The congressman then tried to shift the CNN discussion to Vice President Joe Biden’s gaffes.

“If we wanted to get on top of the vice president every time he says something flippant, foolish, or vulgar, we could have this discussion every Sunday,” he said.

CNN host Gloria Borger jumped in and said that Giuliani’s comments “were hateful.”

“Rudy Giuliani said he didn’t ‘believe,’ he didn’t say the president ‘wasn’t.’ He said he didn’t believe. Now, the reality is that I do believe the president believes strongly in America. I just think he views America differently. I was there when he denounced the U.S. Supreme Court in the halls of Congress during the State of the Union for their decision,” Issa responded. “We have a president who doesn’t believe the Supreme Court is supreme.”

Watch the video via Raw Story:

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