Pelosi: Jewish Republican voters being 'exploited’

July 11, 2012: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says she thinks Republican Jewish voters are “being exploited” by party leaders.

The California Democrat made the comment when asked during an interview with Bloomberg News whether she thought President Obama would win the Jewish vote, which historically goes to Democrat candidates.

Pelosi, a Catholic, first said the election would answer the question, then said yes.

"I think that he will, because the fact is when the facts get out," she said. "You know, as many of the Republicans are using Israel as an excuse, what they really want are tax cuts for the wealthy. So Israel, that can be one reason they put forth."

During the TV interview scheduled to air this weekend, Pelosi attempted to explain her comment by agreeing with the interviewer that Republican Jewish supporters are very active this political season and that Jewish voters are intelligent enough to realize the situation.

"Well, that’s how they’re being exploited,” she said. “And they’re smart people. They follow these issues. But they have to know the facts. And the fact is that President Obama has been the strongest person in terms of sanctions on Iran, which is important to Israel. He’s been the strongest person on whether it’s Iron Dome, David’s Sling, any of these weapons systems and initiatives that relate to Israel. He has been there over and over again."

Pelosi also is facing criticism that she implied Obama as president has been to Israel "over and over again."

He has never been as president, went once during his 2008 presidential campaign and reportedly went twice as a senator.