Bill Delahunt: “Thank you, Mr. Meek, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, and Mr. Ryan. I arrived some 10 minutes ago and had the opportunity to hear…”

“Thank you, Mr. Meek, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, and Mr. Ryan. I arrived some 10 minutes ago and had the opportunity to hear some of the remarks of our friend and colleague from North Carolina, Ms. Foxx. She spoke about the truly outrageous comments by both the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, and the President of Iran, Mr. Ahmadinejad, at the United Nations; and I think we all concur that not only were the words offensive and insulting and demeaning, but they had to be responded to. She spoke clearly about the threat that Iran is posing in the Middle East. Yet she talks about Iraq with a view that I don't share in terms of her description. She speaks about progress, moving forward. That is a very hopeful vision, and maybe under new leadership that is a possibility. But that is not what is happening now. And, ironically, the direction that Iraq is going is towards Iran. How ironic. How ironic that a member of the majority party speaks about Iraq as if it were going forward and at the same time decries the threat from Iran. If you look to my right in this particular picture, what you have is a photo that was recently taken in Tehran. The gentleman that is farthest to my right is the Prime Minister of Iraq. He is shaking hands and clasping the hands of Mr. Ahmadinejad, who is the President of Iran and whose remarks at the United Nations provoked a response from most Americans and hopefully most members of the United Nations that was deserved.”