Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) sharply criticized President Biden’s recent State of the Union Address, accusing him of addressing only his party rather than the nation. In an interview on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime,” McCarthy characterized Biden’s speech as more of a party convention, suggesting that the president was attempting to strengthen his position within the Democratic Party.
McCarthy expressed concern that Biden’s address was an effort to preempt potential challenges within his party, stating, “I think he was worried about Democrats removing him for the nominee. That’s why he came out – he tried to show every Democrat some – you know, you gotta be tougher, you gotta be stronger, and all he did was look mean and angry.”
Biden delivered a passionate and energetic State of the Union speech, addressing various issues and outlining his administration’s priorities. However, McCarthy, along with current Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), criticized the president’s approach.
Speaking about his reactions during the speech, Johnson noted, “I disagreed so vehemently with so much of what he said, and I think the people back home did as well.” He emphasized the difficulty of maintaining a poker face during the speech and claimed that the American people did not respond positively to Biden’s address.
During his speech, Biden also took aim at likely GOP presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump, referencing recent comments about NATO and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This comes in the wake of former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, Trump’s last major rival in the GOP presidential primary, dropping out of the race.
The critiques from McCarthy and Johnson highlight the partisan divisions over Biden’s State of the Union Address, with Republicans asserting that the president’s focus was on rallying his party rather than addressing the concerns of the entire nation.
COMMENTS