Congressman Joe Walsh
Congressman Joe WalshArutz Sheva photo: Office of Rep. Walsh

Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann may have the right views but the media would ”rip them apart” if either one wins the Republican nomination for president, Tea Party Congressman Joe Walsh told Arutz Sheva Wednesday.

Making his first trip to Israel, the freshman Congressman from Illinois said that the United States needs a “president who is a good accomplished governor, someone who has showed he knows how to run state,” Rep. Walsh said.

He emphasized he is not naming any favorites but said the Mitt Romney is presidential timber. American media have already shown a bias against Congresswoman Bachmann, with one recent article blatantly attacking her personally.

Former Alaska Governor Palin, who is expected to announce next week she will run for the nomination, is popular with the conservative “man n the street;’ but is a favorite target for media who have highlighted her lack of knowledge on world affairs.

Walsh spoke with Arutz Sheva while on a three-day trip to Israel that coincided with Glenn Beck’s Restoring Courage rally but which almost was scotched by the House Ethics Committee.

“The committee turned it down because it said Glenn Beck was too political although this is fact-finding educational trip,” Walsh said.

He reapplied and it was approved, but he does not know why – perhaps because he provided more details that showed he would not be spending all of his time with Beck. Walsh’s visit was sponsored by the bi-partisan International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation.

Like many first-time visitors to Israel, Rep Walsh was struck by the geography. “I know what I have studied and learned about Israel, but you truly cannot understand what this country is and what is going on without coming here,” he explained

“Walking the physical space through Jerusalem and getting the sense of the topography – how close everything is – it gives you a better perspective.

He said he expected Jerusalem to be more “rustic” but discovered the rural atmosphere during a visit to Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem.

His views on Israel are clear. “The country take over all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza,” according to the Republican Congressman.

Asked how Israel could cope with Palestinian Authority Arabs under Israeli sovereignty, Rep. Walsh said he noted how many Arabs and Israel’s get along well with each other. That is a story that should get out [to the public, and I think Israel should be doing more to do so.”

He said that many – if not a majority – of Arabs would prefer to live in a Jewish state of Israel, which he noted has freedom, a quality of life and equality that cannot be found anywhere else in the Middle East."