This last week of United States diplomacy has been an exercise in hypocrisy and ignoring reality.

First, the White House had a snit fit that Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will be visiting the United States and speaking to Congress at the invitation of Speaker John Boehner. Because, “protocol.” And being as thin-skinned as he is, Obama will not be meeting with Netanyahu while he is here.

Asked Thursday about the visit, the White House said Obama would not meet with him, citing the country’s upcoming elections. Spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said that in keeping with “long-standing practice and principle,” the president does not meet with heads of state or candidates in close proximity to their elections.

But Boehner cast the invitation as part of Congress’ effort to stay tough on Iran, as the Obama administration forges a possible nuclear deal with the country. Boehner on Wednesday denied any suggestion he was “poking [the White House] in the eye,” though White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest noted the invitation was a breach in protocol.

Which led to this excellent point.

White House officials who once called Netanyahu a "coward" and a "chickensh*t prime minister" complain about "protocol."

— Rory Cooper (@rorycooper) January 21, 2015

But it gets better. After snubbing the upcoming Netanyahu visit on the grounds that it’s too close to the Israeli elections, Josh Earnest then vainly tried to spin away something that the media glowingly covered at the time – then-Senator Obama’s tour of Europe before the 2008 presidential election.