House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) says jeering from Republicans during the State of the Union address stemmed from President Joe Biden goading the members.
McCarthy told his party behind closed doors prior to Biden’s address that they needed to be on their best behavior, given that cameras and microphones would be on. He also said he wouldn’t “play games” during the address. Some of Biden’s comments regarding the debt limit and border crisis drew jeers and heckling from the GOP, during which McCarthy could be seen shushing members of his party.
HERE ARE FIVE WAYS CONGRESS IS ALREADY ADDRESSING BIDEN’S POLICY IDEAS
However, he placed the blame on Biden making false statements during an interview on Fox News’s Fox & Friends after host Steve Doocy said a poll showed independents were “turned off” by GOP jeering of Biden.
“Well, the president was trying to goad the members, and the members are passionate about it,” McCarthy said.
“But the one thing the president was saying is something that he knew was not true,” McCarthy continued. “I just spent an hour with him. I’ve said it many times before: Social Security and Medicare are off the table.”
After Steve Doocy points out to McCarthy polling showing that independents were turned off by the GOP heckling of Biden last night, McCarthy talks about his members like they’re children: “Well, the president was trying to goad the members, & the members are passionate about it” pic.twitter.com/yuY8YJq0Xj
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 8, 2023
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) yelled “liar” when Biden said certain Republicans wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare. She told CNN’s Manu Raju that she did not take “bait” from Biden.
“I didn’t take any bait,” Greene said. “As a matter of fact, I got so many messages from people in my district and people across the country, it was like I won my election again. You know what, people are pissed off.”
“I didn’t take any bait,” MTG told me of heckling and calling Biden a liar during SOTU. “As a matter of fact, I got so many messages from people in my district and people across the country, it was like I won my election again. You know what, people are pissed off” pic.twitter.com/orCq4kkmag
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 8, 2023
Biden was also booed while trying to acknowledge the increasing number of fentanyl deaths and honoring advocate Doug Griffin, the father of 20-year-old Courtney who died of a fentanyl overdose in 2014. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) yelled, “It’s your fault,” into the quiet room.
However, Biden was not deterred from his speech and touted his administration’s successes, recognizing the instances when Democrats and Republicans worked together, earning applause from both sides of the aisle.
“I enjoy conversion,” the president said, adding that the parties were in agreement to protect senior citizens.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) condemned the GOP members for heckling Biden during his speech, saying it was unacceptable.
“That’s just not acceptable in the type of country we are and the leader of the free world,” Manchin said. “Might be accepted in a Third World country. But not here.”
