How the White House botched Bibi's speech

What the Obama administration succeeded in doing with its unceasing assault on Mr. Netanyahu was to make his speech much more significant and the setting much more dramatic than otherwise. They took an important address and turned it into a must-see event. With the stage set, the Israeli prime minister, after beginning his address with generous praise about the president’s past support of Israel, proceeded to demolish Mr. Obama’s arguments one by one. It was a devastating takedown. 

It was obvious in advance how the White House should have handled Mr. Netanyahu. Rather than bashing him, they should have played down his appearance. Rather than incite the party’s congressional hotheads to say stupid things, the White House should have publicly discouraged a boycott by congressional Democrats. Rather than snubbing Mr. Netanyahu by fleeing the country in a graceless and petty act, Mr. Biden should have occupied his seat and applauded occasionally. 

There should have been administration officials in the House chamber, even if Mr. Kerry had negotiations in Geneva to attend to. Mr. Obama’s refusal to even send the U.S. ambassador to Israel to Mr. Netanyahu’s address was small-minded. So was his refusal to see the prime minister while he was in Washington. Instead, Mr. Obama pointedly scheduled a meeting with congressional Democrats on trade issues to coincide with Mr. Netanyahu’s Capitol Hill appearance.