Politico - Peter King to Barack Obama: 'More Leadership'
News Article
By Jonathan Topaz
Rep. Peter King on Friday said the U.S. and international community need "more leadership" from President Barack Obama in the aftermath of the plane crash in Ukraine.
The New York Republican criticized the president for sticking to his schedule Thursday after morning reports of the plane crash in eastern Ukraine. After briefly addressing the incident at an infrastructure event in Delaware, Obama stuck to his prepared remarks -- including a joke about Vice President Joe Biden -- and traveled to New York for two fundraisers.
"[W]e need more leadership from the president," King, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said on MSNBC. "He gave this a passing reference in his speech in Delaware, then went on to tell Joe Biden jokes and take the usual shots at Republicans -- which is fair game, but not on this day -- and then to go to New York and go to two fundraisers. I mean, I can't imagine [former Presidents Dwight] Eisenhower or [John F.] Kennedy or [Ronald] Reagan doing that."
While in New York on Thursday evening, Obama spoke with Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which officials believe was shot down at 33,000 feet, killing all 298 people on board. U.S. officials say that the plane was shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile, but that they cannot yet confirm who shot the missile.
Obama also held a call Thursday night with senior members of his national security team, including CIA Director John Brennan and White House chief of staff Denis McDonough. The president directed the team "to continue offering whatever assistance is necessary to advance the international effort to determine what happened," according to a White House pool report.
But King, a Republican who prefaced his remarks by saying that he was "trying not to be partisan," said the president needs to have a strong response Friday and begin developing sanctions with Europe against Russia, if they were responsible for the attack.
"I think it's important for the president to really come out today and show them that he is the world leader and line up European economic sanctions against Russia," he said.
Other Republicans -- including Senate Armed Services members Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and John McCain of Arizona -- have in the last day criticized the Obama administration for its failure to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past.
King on Friday said that Putin is "at least criminally negligent on this."
Source