NEWS

Kasich jumps into foreign policy fight over Israel

By Deirdre Shesgreen, Gannett Ohio

WASHINGTON – Ohio Gov. John Kasich inserted himself into a fierce foreign policy debate Tuesday, making a special trip to Washington, D.C., to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress.

Kasich's visit to the U.S. Capitol — at a time of intensifying speculation that he plans a 2016 presidential run — could help boost his profile among military hawks and pro-Israel Republican donors.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich entered into the foreign policy fray by attending — and supporting — a speech by Israeli Prim Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. Some believe his attendance could help bolster his potential presidential bid in 2016.

But it was an unusual move for the Ohio governor to put himself front-and-center for the joint meeting of Congress, returning to the House floor for the first time in 15 years and hobnobbing with a bevy of lawmakers.

"I have been forever a very strong and emotional supporter of Israel," Kasich told Ohio reporters at an ad hoc news conference in a hallway off the House floor after Netanyahu's speech.

"There's nothing new here," he added, batting away questions about whether his trip was designed to lay the groundwork for a White House run. "I've had a great interest in foreign affairs for a very long time."

Kasich seemed at home on the House floor — as a former congressman, he has regular access to the chamber and didn't need a formal invitation to attend the speech. After chatting with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., among others, Kasich settled into a seat and listened intently as Netanyahu denounced the talks between Iran and the administration of President Barack Obama.

The Israeli leader used the congressional podium to criticize the administration's efforts to strike a deal with Iran aimed at blocking that country from developing a nuclear weapon. The U.S. and its international negotiating partners are offering to reduce economic sanctions on Iran if Tehran agrees not to pursue the means to make nuclear weapons.

Obama and supporters say such an agreement is the best way to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran, while Netanyahu and other Israeli official say Iran cannot be trusted. Netanyahu's visit to Washington also comes as he faces a tough re-election in Israel. Obama said he would not meet with Netanyahu to avoid the appearance of taking sides in a foreign election.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves after speaking before a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. In a speech that stirred political intrigue in two countries, Netanyahu told Congress that negotiations underway between Iran and the U.S. would "all but guarantee" that Tehran will get nuclear weapons, a step that the world must avoid at all costs. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker John Boehner, R-West Chester, invited Netanyahu to address Congress without notifying the White House, a breach of protocol that sparked sharp recriminations from Democrats. More than 40 Democrats — including Rep. Marcy Kaptur, of Toledo — skipped the speech to protest what they see as a snub of Obama and an attempt to politicize U.S.-Israeli relations.

"Our relationship with Israel is far too important for us to allow it to be politicized in this way," Kaptur said in a statement.

Boehner has strongly defended his decision to invite the Israeli leader.

"What I do wonder, is why the White House feels threatened because the Congress wants to support Israel, and wants to hear what a trusted ally has to say," Boehner said Sunday on CBS' Face the Nation. "The threat coming from Iran and the Iranians having a nuclear weapon is a threat to the region, it's a threat to the United States, and it's a threat to the rest of the world. … The prime minister can talk about this threat, I believe, better than anyone."

Kasich stepped into this partisan rift and diplomatic breach Tuesday, lining up with other Republicans in his praise of Netanyahu's hardline speech.

"The prime minister said it right; this is a bad deal," Kasich said of the U.S. talks with Iran. "We ought to ratchet up the pressure" on Iran instead of negotiating with that country's leaders, he said.

Kasich arrived Monday in Washington, attending a meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a powerful pro-Israel lobby group. His spokesman, Rob Nichols, said the trip was paid for by the state.

Kasich appeared to be the only sitting governor at the speech, although there were other former House members in attendance. Other Republicans said Kasich's decision to attend was a good political move.

"It raises his profile," said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.

Kasich served 18 years in Congress before running for governor. When he was in the House, he served on the Armed Services Committee, but he is known more for his budgetary acumen than his foreign policy expertise.

Last month, in an interview with The Washington Post, Kasich suggested he was boning up on foreign policy — telling the paper he supported sending U.S. ground forces to fight the Islamic State group.

On Tuesday, Kasich said his decision to attend Netanyahu's speech has nothing to do with his possible plans for a White House bid.

"Being the governor of a very big and important state, I wanted to lend my support" for Israel, Kasich said. "And I wanted to support John Boehner" for inviting Netanyahu.

He almost seemed to take umbrage at the suggestion it could burnish his foreign policy credentials.

"I don't need to bolster anything," he said, noting that he served for 18 years on the Armed Services Committee when he was in the House.

Asked how it felt to be on the House floor again after so many years, Kasich said, "It felt fine."

Then, in nearly the same breath, he compared it to returning to high school long after graduation.

"When I left high school, I decided not to go back and ride around in the parking lot," he said. "I'm just saying, when you kind of graduate from an institution it's just better to ..."

Kasich didn't complete that thought, instead saying, "I was delighted to be here. ... I saw a lot of old friends."

USA Today reporter David Jackson contributed to this story.

dshesgreen@usatoday.com

Twitter: @dshesgreen