Biden stumbles as he opens State of the Union

Republicans booed President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night after he called on Congress to raise taxes on the wealthy with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene calling him a ‘liar’ as the evening took a dark turn.

The event – the first for Biden since Republicans took control of the House – started off with a smile. Speaker Kevin McCarthy made small talk with Vice President Kamala Harris on the dais as they waited for the speech to begin, Biden started off his remarks with some badly improvised jokes, and there was a standing ovation when he talked about infrastructure.

But the night quickly turned contentious with Republicans yelling, pointing, and shouting ‘liar’ while McCarthy sat back behind Biden, quietly watching, shaking his head, and taking in the scene. Harris was quick to jump up and applaud the president – something she had to do repeatedly throughout the night while McCarthy sat in silence next to her.

Biden pushed back from the podium as, before him, in the well of the House, a group of Republicans stood and yelled at him, pointing their fingers in his direction.

It started when he 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.’

Republicans went wild, standing and yelling. Greene of Georgia shouted ‘liar’ a couple of times, standing up and pointing at Biden.

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.

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.

The dark mood continued as Biden claimed some Republicans want to end Medicare and Social Security, provoking another round of shouts. 

‘Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset. I’m not saying it’s the majority,’ he said.

Greene shouted: ‘Liar!’

Other Republicans joined her in shouting, calling out the president.

‘Anybody who doubts it, contact my office!,’ Biden responded.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.’

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. 

‘Let’s finish the job. There’s more to do,’ Biden said as he talked about fixing the nation’s tax system.

He added: ‘Let’s finish the job and close the loopholes allow very wealthy to avoid paying their taxes.’ 

He also called on corporations to pay more in taxes. 

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. 

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.

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.