- The Washington Times - Wednesday, February 8, 2023

The Republicans who heckled President Biden during his State of the Union speech on Tuesday said they were justified in their outbursts calling the president a liar.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who shouted that label at Mr. Biden mid-speech, said he got what he deserved, disagreeing with his comments on the state of the economy and national security.

“He got exactly what he deserved and I am not sorry one bit and I don’t think Speaker McCarthy is upset with any of us for expressing our views and [being] unwilling to allow the president to lie,” Ms. Greene told CNN. “What am I going to do? Stand up and give golf claps? No, thank you. I don’t clap for liars.”

The Georgia Republican added that she received so much praise from constituents for her pushback, it was as if she won her election all over again.

Rep. Andy Ogles, Tennessee Republican, also defended his interruption where he yelled “it’s your fault” when Mr. Biden mentioned fentanyl deaths.

“For him to tell us with a straight face and tell us he has a solution when with a stroke of a pen, he could’ve shut down that border and saved thousands and thousands of lives, but he didn’t have the courage to do it,” Mr. Ogles told reporters. “That offends me as someone who has worked in that space and worked on the southern border.”

Several Republicans stood up to confront Mr. Biden during his speech, in which he touted his accomplishments in the last two years of his administration.

The president focused largely on domestic issues in his address to the nation, which also marked the first time he spoke under a GOP-led House.

Mr. McCarthy appeared to shake his head in disagreement when his members heckled during the speech, in what’s become an increasingly common practice in a polarized environment.

• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide