On Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) insisted to a reporter that “100 percent” of his “focus” rests with “stopping this new administration.” At a subsequent White House press briefing, press secretary Jen Psaki responded to McConnell’s remarks by pointedly noting that 100 percent of the Biden administration’s focus is “on delivering relief to the American people.” That difference, Psaki noted, provides a substantial “contrast for people to consider.”
Asked about McConnell’s rhetoric, Psaki commented as follows:
‘I guess the contrast for people to consider is 100 percent of our focus is on delivering relief to the American people, on getting the pandemic under control and putting people back to work. And we welcome support, engagement, and work with the Republicans on that. The President has extended an open arm to that. The door to the Oval Office is open. He’s invited Senator Capito to bring a group of her choosing to the White House next week. We think there is opportunity for agreement to deliver on relief to the American people.’
Watch her McConnell response below:
Jen Psaki on Mitch McConnell's comment that all of his focus is on stopping the Biden administration: "I guess the contrast for people to consider is 100 percent of our focus is on delivering relief for the American people." pic.twitter.com/gRhlSCq89Z
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 5, 2021
Earlier in the day, McConnell had originally offered his remarks about “stopping” the Biden administration after getting asked about the internal state of the Republican Party in light of issues like the criticism that Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) has faced for refusing to go along with the lies from former President Trump about the integrity of the 2020 election.
McConnell also claimed that “Bernie Sanders won the argument about what the new administration should be like,” which is just farcically false. To use an easy example: Sanders supports the establishment of universal healthcare through Medicare-for-all. Biden does not. Depicting the Biden administration as on some kind of mission to turn America “socialist” is just not a realistically serious argument. Where is the evidence? If the new federal infrastructure spending that the Biden administration has recently proposed is “socialist” — then America has been “socialist” for a long time, because federal infrastructure spending isn’t new!
As McConnell bizarrely put it:
‘100 percent of my focus is on stopping this new administration. I think the best way to look at what this new administration is — the president may have won the nomination, but Bernie Sanders won the argument about what the new administration should be like. We’re confronted with severe challenges from a new administration and a narrow majority of Democrats in the House and a 50-50 Senate to turn America into a socialist country and that’s 100 percent of my focus.’
Check out his argument below:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) deflects when asked twice about concerns regarding Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) leadership position and election doubts in Republican Party:
“100% of my focus is on standing up to this administration …” pic.twitter.com/iEBdOMuVe3
— The Recount (@therecount) May 5, 2021
