Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Rep. Gary Peters staunchly defended President Barack Obama from criticism on ISIS at a black political event, but criticized Obama on ISIS on local Michigan television and radio stations.
Though Obama has recently unveiled more fragments of a developing — but still far from completed — plan for military intervention in Iraq and Syria, it should be noted that Peters slammed lawmakers for their supposed political motivations in criticizing the president on ISIS, just weeks after criticizing the president on ISIS.
Peters spoke at the Michigan African American Alliance Breakfast in Detroit, hosted by the Michigan Democratic Party, on Saturday.
“The president addressed the nation with this threat from ISIS in the Middle East, “Peters said. “ISIS is a significant threat to us, I agree with the president that we have to be very very concerned about this. We’ve got a group of individuals who have engaged in murderous activity not just with U.S. citizens but also citizens in their own countries… And the thing that I just hope that we can do as a country is now come together. We’ve got a significant foreign threat. And unfortunately there are folks in the other party, they want to use this as some sort of political wedge, some sort of attacks on the president.”
“Right,” a man in the crowd was heard saying.
Peter’s Obama-defending statement in front of the crowd at the African-American event sounded markedly different than his critical observations of the president made to local Michigan news outlets just a few weeks ago.
Peters appeared on Michigan Public Radio on Aug. 20 to discuss the issue with Rick Pluta on “Michigan Calling.” Michigan Public Radio provides the state with its NPR favorites, including Ira Glass’ “This American Life.”
“Well I think if there’s opportunities to do that you should that. But I also think we need a long-term strategy,” Peters said. “You have to have a long-term plan. And part of my frustration with what we’re seeing now is that we haven’t had a briefing, any classified briefings as to what is happening on the ground in Iraq, what has been the president’s response.”
“I’m willing to go back to Washington, D.C. today if he calls a meeting with Congress to talk about what’s happening on the ground there,” Peters continued. “I’d certainly like to have briefing and would have questions of the generals from the Defense Department who are involved in that operation.”
Asked why the administration had not met with Congress on the ISIS response, Peters said “that’s a question you have to ask of them,” adding, “we haven’t said why, we just haven’t had those briefings. Congress is not in session now but we would certainly – I would come back in order to do that.”
Peters also criticized of Obama in an interview with local Grand Rapids television station WOOD-TV on Aug. 19.
“I’m very concerned about what’s next going forward. And the president needs to inform Congress about what’s happening there. What are the moves?,” Peters said. “What is the strategy there going forward? I’m willing to go back to Washington, D.C. today if the president would offer a briefing, or the Department of Defense would have a classified briefing for members of Congress.”
“I know that military force is necessary to protect the U.S. citizens, which is the case. And for some strategic interests, you may need to act quickly. But if you’re going to be engaged in a longer-term operation is incumbent on the president of the United States to inform Congress,” Peters added.
Obama still has not met with Congress on ISIS.
The Peters campaign did not immediately return a request for comment.
It’s almost as if Peters thinks that one crowd wants to hear one thing, and another crowd wants to hear something different.