Posted on 04/07/2007 5:12:21 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
(04-07) 04:00 PDT Washington -- Bush administration criticism of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria this week is "hypocritical beyond belief,'' San Mateo Rep. Tom Lantos said Friday as he and the speaker prepared to return home from their nine-day trip with a congressional delegation to the Mideast.
Lantos, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the criticism from President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other administration officials and allies is particularly out of line because Republican House members also met Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus just before and after the delegation led by the Democratic speaker.
"The notion that members visiting Syria and having discussions (is) a unique Democratic strategy to undermine the Republican administration is absurd on it face,'' Lantos said in a telephone interview with The Chronicle from Lisbon, Portugal.
Lantos said the Middle East tour was "thoughtful, productive and intensely patriotic'' in promoting American interests at every stop.
Bush has said Syria should be isolated by the international community because Assad's government supports terrorism and has sparked violence in neighboring Iraq and Lebanon.
Pelosi, speaking Friday with the Associated Press, said her visit to Syria reinforced Bush's message to Assad, rather than sending mixed signals, as the president has said.
"Our message was President Bush's message," Pelosi told the Associated Press from Portugal. "The funny thing is, I think we may have even had a more powerful impact with our message because of the attention that was called to our trip. It became clear to President Assad that even though we have our differences in the United States, there is no division between the president and the Congress and the Democrats on the message we wanted him to receive."
But again, the White House blasted the speaker from San Francisco.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Tom Lantos always reminded me of that preacher in Poltergeist 2.
So it was aa GOOD thing that President Bush critcized you for making a trip he was against, because it supported his policy.
In other words, Nancy, you're saying Bush was against your trip before he was for it?
This headline should read:
MOONBATS FOR THE DINGBAT!!
The rah rah boy moonbats line up to defend DINGBAT PELOSI!!
How nice.
You are too kind.Looking at Tom Lantos usually reminds me that the dog may need to go out.
Deny him a government airplane for his trip!
Lantos or the dog?
It has been reported that Lantos said while on the trip that the Demoncrats are offering an “alternative” approach.
Sorry “suicide” Lantos; it won’t fly. Bush has no skirts to hide behind. Go back to your Speaker for additional excuses.
And renders a sculpture with a striking resemblance to Tom Lantos!
This communist fossil is still alive?
Yes, barely. Another senile old f%$t who ought to be playing bingo at the home. Term limits are the only thing that can save this country.
Pelosi trying to hide behind a holocaust survivor. Speak for yourself Nancy.
So, when is Pelosi’s indictment? Or is she above the law?
OT: “Term limits are the only thing that can save this country.”
We have term limits. They are called elections.
Is he going to lash out at the Editorials of the Washington Post and Philadelphia Inquirer that lampooned the trip also?
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