Biden calls chaotic Republican Speaker vote ’embarrassing’
President Joe Biden called the Capitol Hill chaos over the speakership ’embarrassing’ as he left the White House Wednesday for a bipartisan event in Kentucky with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
‘That’s not my problem, I just think it’s a little embarrassing it’s taking so long,’ Biden told reporters on the South Lawn, after GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy, long expected to be elected House speaker, couldn’t get to a majority Tuesday after three rounds of voting.
The president added that ‘the rest of the world is looking, they’re looking at, you know, can we get our act together,’ noting that ‘this is not a good look, this is not a good thing’ for the country.
Biden answered ‘no’ to the question of whether he enjoyed seeing the House Republicans in disarray and pointed out that things are finally settling down after January 6 only for Congress to be paralyzed – as the Tuesday votes marked the first time in 100 years that a speaker wasn’t immediately chosen.
‘It’s not a good look, it’s not a good thing. This is the United States of America, and I hope they get their act together,’ he said.
President Joe Biden called the Capitol Hill chaos over the speakership ’embarrassing’ as he left Wednesday for a bipartisan event in Kentucky with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
President Joe Biden waves as he boards Air Force One for this trip to Kentucky Wednesday, to tout bipartisanship, as the House is still embroiled in drama over who will become the next speaker
Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (left) ascent to the speakership was derailed Tuesday when ultimately 20 Republicans decided to back Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan (right) instead. Jordan was set to take over the chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee
Without a speaker, members of the House of Representatives can’t be sworn-in and no business can be conducted.
‘I have no idea,’ Biden answered when asked who he thought the speaker would be.
Biden was flying to Kentucky to tout the bipartisan infrastructure law where he’ll appear alongside the other top Republican in Congress, McConnell.
Also flying on Air Force One was former Sen. Rob Portman, the Ohio Republican whose seat went to the Trump-backed author J.D. Vance, who was sworn-in with the rest of his colleagues Tuesday.
McConnell and Portman were among the 19 Republicans to sign onto the infrastructure law, which passed in August 2021.
Additionally, the $1.6billion bridge project Biden will showcase is the Brent Spence Bridge, which connects Covington, Kentucky with Cincinnati, Ohio.
Overall, the infrastructure law allocated $40billion toward rebuilding the nation’s crumbling bridges.
‘What I am focused on is getting things done,’ Biden said at departure. ‘And one of the things I’m going down to Kentucky and Ohio today is to demonstrate we can get things done. We passed an enormous bill, bipartisan-ly and it works.’
‘You can’t be the No. 1 economy in the world unless you have the No. 1 infrastructure in the world,’ he added.
When asked specifically why Kentucky Biden answered, ‘We worked like hell to get the most significant infrastructure bill in our history of the United States other than the Eisenhower interstate highway system.’
It’s been suggested that Biden standing alongside McConnell was the splitscreen moment the White House wanted as shenanigans continue in the House.
‘Look, I think our administration has begun to move the economy where we’re investing in America again. How can you remain the leading economy in the world absent having the greatest infrastructure in the world?’ Biden mused.
He also suggested that the drama was ultimately Congress’ problem when asked if he was concerned about his ability to govern with the House lacking a speaker.
‘Not me,’ he replied. ‘Congress to govern.’
McCarthy’s speakership bid has been derailed by 20 rogue members who represent the more conservative, pro-MAGA side of the Republican Party.
On the third vote, they coalesced around Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who has said he doesn’t want the speakership and is content with taking over the House Judiciary Committee from Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler.
That has left the party in a stalemate, with both the pro-McCarthy faction and the ‘Never Kevins’ digging in.
On Wednesday morning, former President Donald Trump also called the situation ‘EMBARRASSING’ on his Truth Social platform.
‘Some really good conversations took place last night, and it’s now time for all of our GREAT Republican House Members to VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY, & WATCH CRAZY NANCY PELOSI FLY BACK HOME TO A VERY BROKEN CALIFORNIA,THE ONLY SPEAKER IN U.S. HISTORY TO HAVE LOST THE “HOUSE” TWICE!’ the ex-president wrote. ‘REPUBLICANS, DO NOT TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT.’
‘IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE, YOU DESERVE IT. Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a GREAT JOB – JUST WATCH!’ Trump added.