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President Joe Biden’s annual State of the Union address on Tuesday evening started on a friendly note but soon devolved into snark and heckling by the GOP after the president claimed ‘some Republicans – some Republicans – want Social Security and Medicare to sunset. I’m not saying it’s the majority.’
Wearing a white coat lined in white fur, conservative firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene stood up before the joint session of Congress and screamed ‘liar’ while other Republicans shouted, ‘Not true!’
‘They’re the facts,’ Biden snapped back. ‘Check it out. Check it out.’
Speaker Kevin McCarthy shook his head in disagreement while he sat on the dais behind Biden alongside Vice President Kamala Harris. And members of the GOP shouted ‘no’ as the president addressed the divided Congress.
Biden pushed back and pointed his finger at Republicans in the audience during a speech that started with a gaffe and off-script jokes.
President Biden got into verbal fistcuffs during his State of the Union Address
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) shouted ‘liar’ at President Biden during the State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress
The row escalated when Biden blamed the nation’s debt on Donald Trump. ‘Under the previous administration the American deficit went up,’ he said. ‘No president added more to the national debt in any four years than my predecessor.’
He continued: ‘How did Congress respond to that debt? They lifted the debt ceiling three times without preconditions or crisis. They paid American bills to prevent an economic disaster of the country. So tonight, I’m asking the Congress to follow suit.’
The president wasn’t afraid to engage with the GOP, hitting them with tough talk after he previously talked about working together: ‘Some of my Republican friends want to take the economy hostage. I get it. Unless I agree to their economic plans.’
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado shook her head as the president spoke.
At other points in the speech, Republicans openly laughed at the president, such as when he suggested oil production could be phased out after a decade.
‘I said we’re going to need oil for at least another decade,’ the president said of his discussions with oil companies as he pushed for greener technology. Republicans laughed at him. McCarthy, too, chuckled.
Biden started off his speech by talking about his hope for the White House and House Republicans to work together. But all indications seem to point to that being a pipe dream as neither the president nor the GOP lawmakers showed signs of backing down in a remarkable display of public bickering.
Earlier Tuesday, McCarthy asked his Republican lawmakers to behave while the president spoke, making it clear he wanted no shenanigans on the House floor.
The lawmakers were reminded that boom mics will be on so ‘people’s conversations will be picked up, and anything you’re reading on your phone’ could been seen by a camera lens, a GOP lawmaker said.
Lawmakers including Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), and Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) yell at President Biden during his State of the Union address
The House chamber during Biden’s State of the Union Address
The speaker also promised to behave himself and not cause any ‘theatrics,’ specifically saying he won’t do as Nancy Pelosi did during Donald Trump’s final State of the Union address and tear up the text of the speech.
But the evening showed that McCarthy, who won the speakership in a midnight vote after 15 ballots, is still struggling to control some of the conservative elements of his conference.
Biden tried to bring order back.
As the shouting continued, the president responded: ‘I’m glad to see it, I enjoy conversion.’
‘Social Security and its bookend, Medicare, are off the books now, right?,’ he added. ‘We have unanimity!’
And McCarthy tried to calm down his side, shushing some Republicans who appeared to be yelling about the border after Biden called for Congress to codify a path to citizenship for Dreamers.
‘If we don’t pass my immigration reform, at least passed my plan to provide equipment for officers to secure the border. And a pathway to citizenship for dreamers, those on temporary status, farm workers, essential workers,’ Biden said as he talked about problems at the border, where illegal crossings have reached record levels.
Democrats applauded but Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas laughed and shook his head.
Other Republicans shouted: ‘Secure the border.’ McCarty shushed them to let Biden continue.
Lingering in the backdrop of Biden’s remarks is the fight to raise the debt limit. Republicans want to slash federal spending in exchange for increasing the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing limit. Biden wants it raised with no conditions attached.
But Republicans have said they don’t want to cut Medicare and Social Security – two entitlement programs important to older voters.
Biden’s push to raise taxes on the wealthy also garnered boos from Republicans.
‘We have to reward work not just wealth. Pass my proposal for the billionaire minimum tax,’ he said. ‘But no billionaire should be paying a lower tax rate than a schoolteacher or firefighter.’
In the past, Biden has proposed a 20% levy on households with a net worth of more than $100 million.
‘The tax system is not fair.’ He dropped his voice to a whisper to make his point: ‘It’s not fair.’
‘Look, the idea that in 2020, 55 of the largest corporations in America, the fortune 500, made $40 billion in profits and paid 0 in federal taxes, 0? Folks, simply not fair,’ he said, raising his voice to be heard over the GOP catcalling him with shouts and booing.
McCarthy simply sat in silence behind Biden as the president spoke, shaking his head.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy shakes President Biden’s hand at the start of the State of the Union
The battle is shaping up to be Biden’s first major policy fight with Republicans since they took control of the House. The two sides have until the end of June to come to an agreement.
The president fumbled his State of the Union speech at the top, attempting to make a joke about wife Jill going to the Super Bowl without him, messing up Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s title and complimenting McCarthy after previously slamming Republicans as MAGA extremists.
The president tried his hand at a little improv when he took the podium in the House chamber to address the nation – a risk that rarely ends well.
After greeting First Lady Jill Biden, who sat in a box overlooking the House floor, Biden tried to joke to Chief Justice John Roberts about the first lady’s upcoming trip to the Superbowl, where her Philadelphia Eagles are playing the Kansas City Chiefs.
‘By the way Chief Justice – I may need a court order,’ he said, deviating from his prepared remarks. ‘She gets to go to the game next week. I got to stay home. I got to work something out here.’
He also gave McCarthy, who was presiding over his first State of the Union address as speaker, a backhand compliment.
‘Mr. Speaker, I don’t want to ruin your reputation, but I look forward to working with you,’ the president said.
In other sittings, Biden has blasted Donald Trump supporters like McCarthy as ‘extremists’ in the Republican Party. ‘This is not your father’s Republican Party,’ he has said repeatedly in the past.
The president, who struggles with a stutter, also fumbled when he addressed Schumer, who he called minority leader, which was his previous title.
‘Chuck Schumer – another, you know, another term is, was this Senate Minority Leader. You know, I think you always time you have a slightly bigger majority. Mr. Leader,’ he said.
Seated in the House chamber, Schumer held up one finger, indicating the one-seat majority that Democrats have in the Senate.
‘You’re the majority leader,’ Biden said, finally getting his title correct. ‘But that much bigger.’
Vice President Kamala Harris shakes hands with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy when she arrives in the House chamber for the State of the Union address
First lady Jill Biden arrives at the State of the Union address; second gentleman Doug Emhoff is next to her
President Joe Biden in the presidential limo known as the Beast on his way to the Capitol
During his 1 hour 18-minute speech, Biden used some of his favorite tactics to make a point – whispering at times and raising his voice to a shout at others.
He garbled his words while warning Republicans not to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, passed when Democrats controlled Congress.
‘Now some members here threatening – and I know it’s not an official party position – So I’m not going to exaggerate but certainly to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act. … As my football coaches like to say – lots of luck in your senior year,’ he said.
But he ultimately got his message out: ‘Make no mistake … I will veto it.’
Biden’s remarks touted his economic record, called for more taxes on the wealthy and included an appeal to Republicans to leave Democratic programs intact.
The president hasn’t announced he will seek another term – but said he intends to. He’s expected to make a formal announcement in the coming weeks. And his State of the Union address will be seen as an argument for why he should get four more years in the White House.
Biden will take his sales job on the road as he heads to Wisconsin on Wednesday and Florida on Thursday.
Bono greets Paul Pelosi – the two men have seats next to each other in Jill Biden’s box
The president’s approval rating was hovering at around 40% ahead of his annual address to the nation.
The Capitol was prepared to receive him. Protective fencing went up around the building over the weekend and the streets around it will be shut down during the speech.
Extra chairs were brought on to the House floor to accommodate the 100 senators, justices of the Supreme Court, members of the Cabinet and other officials who will be in attendance.
Television cameras were in Statuary Hall, just down the House chamber from where Biden will speak. Lawmakers will flood the room after Biden’s address to give their take.
The U.S. Capitol is seen through security fencing erected before President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress during the annual State of the Union address
Workers move extra chairs into the House Chamber for the speech
U.S. Military V-22 Osprey aircraft fly past the Capitol on the evening of the State of the Union speech
U.S. Capitol Police officers gather outside the Capitol building
The Presidential limousine sits on the South Lawn in front of the White House ahead of Biden’s departure for Capitol Hill
Biden also talked about police reform and a crisis that has seen many black men shot by cops.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus brought more than a dozen families to the speech that have been affected by police violence. And Biden is under heavy pressure from his party to take action.
In his speech, Biden noted he’s never had to have ‘the talk’ with his kids – Beau, Ashley, and Hunter – about what to do when a police officer pulls them over.
‘We have an obligation to make sure all people are safe. Public safety depends on public trust, as all of us know, but too often that trust is violated,’ he said.
‘I never have to tell you of a police officer turned pulled you over, turn on your interior lights right away. Don’t reach for your license. Keep your hands on the stealing steering wheel. that every single time your kid got in a car,’ he noted.
Biden acknowledged the parents of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old man who was beaten to death by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, who were seated in the first lady’s box.
‘What happened to Tyre in Memphis happens too often. We have to do better,’ Biden said.
He called for more training for police officers.
‘Give law enforcement the real training they need. Hold them to higher standards. Help them succeed in keeping a safe. We also need more first responders and professionals to adjust to the growing mental health and substance abuse,’ he said.
In contrast, he barely mentioned the war in the Ukraine, which took up much of his remarks in last year’s speech.
He pointed to Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, seated next to the first lady, and said: ‘We are going to stand with you. As long as it takes.’
Biden also barely mentioned China, including the spy balloon the U.S. military recently shot down off the coast of South Carolina.
‘I am committed to work with China where it can advance American interests and benefit the world,’ he said.
Then, in an opaque reference to the spy balloon: ‘But make no mistake: as we made clear last week, if China’s threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did. And let’s be clear: winning the competition with China should unite all of us. We face serious challenges across the world.’
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