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It cannot be said enough: David Gregory has never met a Republican meme that he didn't embrace with full force. For a guy who doesn't believe it's his job to ask follow up questions to fact check a guest, he sure does love coming back and back again to a narrative that Republicans put out without context or veracity.

The intention to broker peace between Palestine and Israel has been US foreign policy goal #1 since the 1967 Six Day War. It is political suicide in this country to ever express anything less than unconditional loyalty to the Israeli government. And Barack Obama knows that. President Obama spoke last week on the Palestinian application for recognition of statehood at the UN in a speech that was praised by both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and extreme right winger Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman but to the consternation of the Palestinian people.

But Republicans deal outside of the reality that every body else in the world does. At the GOP Presidential debate, Romney, Perry and Santorum all eagerly tried to paint Obama as an indifferent ally to Israel. And that's all the authentication David Gregory needed to ask Netanyahu if he thought that Obama had thrown Israel under the bus...not once, not twice, but multiple times...to the point where Netanyahu had to call him on it:

GREGORY: You once said that Israel had no better friend in the White House than George W. Bush. Would you say the same about Barack Obama?

NETANYAHU: When did I say that?

GREGORY: 2002

NETANYAHU: They keep moving and adding new people.

GREGORY: George W. Bush and President Obama are good leaders in your mind? I’m asking a serious question. Prime Minister, you said America was behind you. This has been a relationship between your administration and this administration. Just this week, Mitt Romney said of Barack Obama he threw Israel under the bus. Do you disagree with those statements?

NETANYAHU: David, you are trying to throw me under the bus of American politics. I’m not going to be thrown there.

And it goes on and on...

Again, Netanyahu and Lieberman go out of their way to express their appreciation of Obama's support this week and what David Gregory really really needs to know is 'but do you like him as much as you liked GWB?' What are we, in high school?

David Gregory, you are a sad, pathetic excuse for a newsman.

Transcripts below the fold:

GREGORY: You once said that Israel had no better friend in the White House than George W. Bush. Would you say the same about Barack Obama?

NETANYAHU: When did I say that?

GREGORY: 2002

NETANYAHU: They keep moving and adding new people.

GREGORY: George W. Bush and President Obama are good leaders in your mind? I’m asking a serious question. Prime Minister, you said America was behind you. This has been a relationship between your administration and this administration. Just this week, Mitt Romney said of Barack Obama he threw Israel under the bus. Do you disagree with those statements?

NETANYAHU: David, you are trying to throw me under the bus of American politics. I’m not going to be thrown there.

GREGORY: You didn't mind disagreeing about President Clinton. Do you agree with this?

NETANYAHU: This is the truth about America. Israel enjoys tremendous bipartisan support. Tremendous. You have to walk around the breadth of this country, fly to the country. Everywhere you go, you see this tremendous, tremendous affinity for Israel. This is what is one of the great blessings that israel has in the 21st century. I think that bipartisan support is expressed by any person --

GREGORY: Are you concerned --

NETANYAHU: President Obama. Every one of the US. presidents represent and acts on the friendship of the American people to Israel. By the way, a piece of news, Israel is one country in which everyone is pro-American. I represent the entire people of Israel who say thank you America and we are friends with America. We are the only reliable ally of America in the Middle East.

GREGORY: In your book, President Obama is just as much a friend as George W. Bush.

NETANYAHU: They are all friends equally representing friendship of America.