Minnesota

dflprincess

(28,450 posts) Mon Mar 2, 2015, 10:05 PM Mar 2015

Sen. Franken sits out, Sen. Klobuchar sits in on Netanyahu address Tuesday

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/294726701.html

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WASHINGTON -- Sen. Al Franken said Monday he will not sit in the chamber during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu's speech to Congress Tuesday, while his Democratic colleague Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she will be there.

In an e-mail, Franken said the speech had "unfortunately become a partisan spectacle."

The Israeli prime minister, amid his own re-election campaign,accepted an invitation by GOP House Speaker John
Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to address a joint session of the Republican-led Congress.
The two Republican leaders did not check with the White House or the State Department -- considered a breach
of protocol.

Netanyahu is expected to talk about his opposition to talks the United States is having with Iran about its
nuclear program. Obama is not expected to meet with Netanyahu when he is in town.

"I'd be uncomfortable being part of an event that I don't believe should be happening," said Franken. "I'm
confident that, once this episode is over, we can reaffirm our strong tradition of bipartisan support for
Israel."

Franken joins Democratic Reps. Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison, who said earlier this month they would boycott
the speech.

Republican Reps. Tom Emmer, John Kline and Erik Paulsen said they will be there, as will Democrat Reps.
Rick Nolan, Tim Walz and Collin Peterson.

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Sen. Franken sits out, Sen. Klobuchar sits in on Netanyahu address Tuesday (Original Post) dflprincess Mar 2015 OP

It figures. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2015 #1

Though I did hear that she is cosponsoring a bill to make those laundry detergent pods look less dflprincess Mar 2015 #3

Yuck turns out to be kind of universal. kickysnana Mar 2015 #4

Disappointment in Amykins.... the_sly_pig Mar 2015 #2

Is Amy's voting record progressive? jwirr Apr 2015 #5

Depends. She voted against clean water I think. glinda Apr 2015 #6

i guess I jus need to google it. jwirr Apr 2015 #7

The Goldilocks record question everything Apr 2015 #8

LOL jwirr Apr 2015 #9

The Velveteen Ocelot

(120,367 posts)

1. It figures.

Reply to dflprincess (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2015, 10:07 PM

Mar 2015

Klobuchar seems to have an unholy dread of doing anything even faintly controversial.

dflprincess

(28,450 posts)

3. Though I did hear that she is cosponsoring a bill to make those laundry detergent pods look less

Reply to The Velveteen Ocelot (Reply #1)

Tue Mar 3, 2015, 10:08 PM

Mar 2015

inviting to kids. AND to put stronger warnings on them because, as you know, toddlers always look for warnings before deciding to eat something - they just need to be stronger so the kids pay attention.

(Whatever happened to Mr. Yuck stickers?)

kickysnana

(3,908 posts)

4. Yuck turns out to be kind of universal.

Reply to dflprincess (Reply #3)

Wed Mar 4, 2015, 12:35 AM

Mar 2015

Many, many, many years ago I was shopping at Kmart and there was a Hmong family ahead of me putting Christmas presents away on lay away. The baby was standing by the cart (probably for the same reason as mine they didn't have cart-belts yet and my kids would forget and try to fly out of the cart.) Mom and Dad are distracted, baby reaches up and pulls a wad of gum off of the cart and is going to stick it in her mouth while looking directly at me. I said "Yuck!" and made a yuck face which stopped her and alerted her parents who quickly dispatched the gum. Probably the last time any parent has thanked me for intervening in children trying to off themselves.