On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed reporters about President Biden's State of the Union speech.
Jean-Pierre was questioned about a "flash point" in Biden's address, during which Republicans heckled him for claiming that many of them want to eliminate Medicare and Social Security.
Did GOP Urge to Abolish Social Security, Medicare?
Jean-Pierre stated that the White House stands by Biden's speech and that Republican legislators are attempting to "talk out of both sides of their mouths" on the matter. The secretary accused individual Republicans of hypocrisy on the topic, singling out Utah Senator Mike Lee and Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson and stating Biden put the Republican Party "on the defensive."
Video footage from February 2010 shows Senator Mike Lee campaigning and addressing an audience, "My objective will be to phase out Social Security. To pull it out by its roots and eliminate it."
In a statement to Fox News, Lee's office questioned Jean-Pierre's interpretation of the 2010 clip's framing. Lee stated that "those who will retire within the next several years" must have their pensions guaranteed.
In August 2022, Johnson proposed eliminating Social Security and Medicare as government entitlement systems. Johnson stated that the initiatives should be authorized yearly as discretionary spending. In a subsequent interview, Johnson denied aiming to abolish Social Security or Medicare.
President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday evening likely infuriated Republicans the most when he mentioned that some Republicans want Social Security and Medicare to expire.
Biden and Democrats have criticized Republicans for allegedly seeking to abolish two entitlement programs that provide older folks with money and health care and are immensely popular.
During his speech, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia screamed "Liar" in response to his remarks. According to The Independent, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy stated in a televised address on Monday evening that Social Security and Medicare cutbacks are "off the table."
Biden's SOTU Trip
Biden added the qualification that not all Republicans favored program cuts. Biden was specifically referring to Florida Senator Rick Scott. When Scott was chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee a year ago, he produced a 12-point plan titled 'Rescue America' that echoed Biden's claims.
Scott issued two remarks critical of Biden on Monday. Similarly, Scott made a statement supporting his plan and dug out past words from Biden's time as a senator pushing for Social Security and Medicare expenditure limits. On Twitter, he underlined the purpose of his initiative.
Per Daily Mail, Biden will make a second post-SOTU trip to Tampa, Florida, on Thursday, a state that Democrats have lost under the Trump administration.
First lady Jill Biden will go to the swing state of Arizona on Sunday, first to attend the Super Bowl - to see her favorite Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs - and then to participate in an event in Mesa, Arizona, according to her office.
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