Just minutes into the president’s speech, as Biden was talking about the Trump administration’s failures during the coronavirus pandemic, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) yelled from the back of the chamber, “Lies. That’s it!” he yelled.
As Biden spoke about forcing the wealthiest Americans to “pay their fair share of taxes,” Marr, wearing a red “Make America Great Again” baseball cap with Donald Trump’s signature on the bill, said: exclaimed Rep. Jolie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). “Tell Hunter to pay his taxes!”
And when Biden spoke about the bipartisan border security bill that Republicans repealed at Trump’s behest, Republicans booed, jeered and shouted at the commander-in-chief.
Republican members of Congress who were invited to the gallery also joined in the abuse against the president. Biden mentioned crimes and the men started shouting about withdrawing from Afghanistan. When Biden spoke about the more than 30,000 Palestinians reported to have been killed in Gaza, another heckler shouted, “Who said that?”
Adding to the Republican Party’s vulgar treatment of a once solemn democratic ritual, expelled New York state Rep. George Santos in December was seen frolicking around the chamber in a sparkly shirt ( Despite being ostracized, they still have privileges). He received congratulations from his former Republican colleagues.And Rep. Troy Neals (R-Texas) stood in the chamber throughout his speech, serving as a human poster boy. wearing a t-shirt It contained a photo of President Trump with the message “Never Surrender” written on it.
Many other members of the House of Commons majority took Mr Johnson’s call for “civility” as a counterpoint. They were so determined not to react to Biden that they refused to praise even the most unpleasant and patriotic sentiments.
“Let’s remember who we are. We are the United States of America!” Biden cried.
Republican side: crickets.
He called for federal funds to go only to “American products…made by American workers and creating good-paying American jobs.”
Once again, Republicans remained silent.
“We all come from somewhere, but we’re all Americans,” Biden offered.
This still drew little applause from Republican lawmakers.
Mr. Johnson was seated behind Mr. Biden and did not follow his instructions. The Louisiana Republican rolled his eyes at Biden, shaking his head and cowering in his chair with an expression of pain contorting his face.
Many of his rank-and-file Republicans either skipped the speech entirely or left the speech midway through. The Republicans initially had 21 seats and ended up with 37 seats, although several Democrats took over vacant Republican seats. side. Biden’s opponents exaggerated their boredom, hunched over, scrolling on their phones and showing each other their screens. Ralph Norman (RS.C.) yawned. Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) yawned. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) yawned. Mark Molinaro (RN.Y.) yawned.
If Biden’s opponents had hoped the speech would show Biden as tired and weak, the result was almost the opposite. Biden was energetic and energetic, often shouting in his battles with Trump and the Republicans. He jumped right into his speech without waiting for Mr. Johnson’s customary introduction. By contrast, his critics, some sleepy and some grumpy, looked as if they needed a nap.
Biden stumbled over his words as usual, but those expecting an old man from Republican fantasies instead saw it as a man who couldn’t wait to confuse him with his opponent. He looked surprised and delighted when he found Ms. Greene waiting in the center aisle to enter, and she gave him the name of a young woman allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant. I kept the pin.
He scolded Republicans for rejecting “the toughest border security reform we’ve ever seen,” and while opponents ridiculed Biden’s claims about the bill, the reform negotiator, Sen. James Lankford, (R-Okla.) ridiculed Biden’s claims. I could hear voices in the audience saying, “That’s true.”
That’s when Greene began yelling at Biden to name the woman who was killed, Laken Riley. And Biden did so, angering progressives by saying she was killed by “illegal aliens.”
“To her parents, my heart goes out to them,” he said, pushing up a green button. “I myself have experienced the loss of a child, so I completely understand.”
Biden said that Ronald Reagan told Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall,” and that Trump recently suggested that he would tell Vladimir Putin’s government to “do whatever they want.” Biden went after his “predecessor” at least 13 times, starting with the brutal contrast between the suggestion that he He against NATO member states that do not contribute enough to the alliance.
On January 6, 2021, President Trump, Republicans in Congress accused the president of trying to “bury the truth,” pursuing a ban on abortion, and demonizing immigrants as “poison in our nation’s blood.” , or both. He mocked those who opposed the infrastructure bill, saying, “If there’s someone in your district who doesn’t want that money, let me know.”
It was a ferocious, partisan speech. Mr. Biden’s combativeness lifted the spirits of Democrats in the chamber, prompting repeated cheers of “Four more years!” And it was a surprise to Republicans who clearly believed their own nonsense about Biden’s “dementia.”
Biden remained in the chamber for about 30 minutes after his speech, immersing himself in the adoration of Democrats until after 11 p.m., but his critics had long since been brushed aside. It was past their bedtime.