Joe Biden declared that he and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have been “friends a long time,” before heading off to Kentucky together.
Biden and McConnell are set to travel to Kentucky this week, to help tout the supposed benefits of the massive $1.2 trillion “infrastructure” bill that Biden signed in 2021. NBC reported that the visit will be a “bipartisan show of support” to kick off 2023, with the pair helping show off a “major project” in the state that was funded by the bill.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Biden was asked why it was so important to travel together with McConnell to Kentucky. “Why is that significant to be with McConnell there,” one reporter queried.
“We’ve been friends a long time and everybody’s talking about how significant it is,” Biden replied, revealing just how close the two party leaders are. “There’s nothing unusual about our relationship.”
President Biden on Senate Minority Leader McConnell: "We’ve been friends a long time and everybody’s talking about how significant it is. There’s nothing unusual about our relationship." pic.twitter.com/fj4pkAFtX4
— The Hill (@thehill) January 3, 2023
It seems to be no surprise that Biden is on good terms with supposed Republican McConnell, after his administration was able to help pass the gigantic $1.7 trillion dollar omnibus spending bill last year. Some of the appropriations included $45 billion to be sent as aid to Ukraine, along with $772.6 billion worth of domestic initiatives.
45th President Donald Trump roundly criticised McConnell for helping the Democrat administration pass giant spending bills, instead of challenging the White House’s agenda in Congress, keeping them in check.
“He’s more of a Democrat than a Republican,” Trump argued. “What he is doing to this party is incredible, and what he’s doing to this nation is incredible.”
Senator Ted Cruz placed the blame for the medicore results in November’s midterms squarely at the feet of McConnell, arguing that the GOP leadership, under his direction, failed to fund strong, America First candidates like Blake Masters in Arizona.
“Mitch would rather be leader than have a Republican majority. If there’s a Republican who can win, who’s not gonna support Mitch, the truth of the matter is he’d rather the Democrat win. So he pulled all the money out of Arizona,” Cruz said, saying that his actions were “indefensible.”
Despite McConnell trying to pre-emptively put the blame for the midterm losses on America First candidates in April last year, voters have appeared to reject the GOP establishment narrative, with a mid November poll showing that 93% of voters do not view him favorably, his lowest ever result.
