President Joe Biden sparked some backlash on Monday when he lashed out at House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), saying that he would be “dead on arrival.”
The exchange began with Johnson’s statement on Biden’s remarks regarding the Supreme Court and his plan to overhaul it in the wake of a number of decisions that had not gone his way.
“President Biden’s proposal to radically overhaul the U.S. Supreme Court would tilt the balance of power and erode not only the rule of law, but the American people’s faith in our system of justice,” Johnson wrote in a post to X. “This proposal is the logical conclusion to the Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional Democrats’ ongoing efforts to delegitimize the Supreme Court. Their calls to expand and pack the Court will soon resume.”
“It is telling that Democrats want to change the system that has guided our nation since its founding simply because they disagree with some of the Court’s recent decisions. This dangerous gambit of the Biden-Harris Administration is dead on arrival in the House,” he concluded.
President Biden’s proposal to radically overhaul the U.S. Supreme Court would tilt the balance of power and erode not only the rule of law, but the American people’s faith in our system of justice.
This proposal is the logical conclusion to the Biden-Harris Administration and…
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) July 29, 2024
But when Biden was asked about Johnson’s statement, he replied, “That’s what he is.”
“That he is?” a reporter pressed.
“Dead on arrival,” Biden said.
President Biden was just asked on the tarmac about Speaker Johnson calling his Supreme Court reform “dead on arrival.” “That’s what he is,” Biden said. Asked for clarification, a reporter shouted, “That he is?” Biden responded: “He is. Dead on arrival.” pic.twitter.com/kEOV2y21Yi
— Matt Viser (@mviser) July 29, 2024
Critics quickly pointed out the fact that Biden was not doing much to lower the temperature with regard to political rhetoric — and some even noted that former President Donald Trump, the 2024 nominee for Johnson’s party, had been shot just barely more than two weeks earlier.
“Donald Trump was an inch away from being assassinated not three weeks ago. This is Joe Biden’s rhetoric today,” Stephen Miller said.
Donald Trump was an inch away from being assassinated not three weeks ago. This is Joe Biden’s rhetoric today. https://t.co/UDLDSdm1BB
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) July 29, 2024
“The leader of Johnson’s party was shot in the head on July 13th,” Guy Benson added.
The leader of Johnson’s party was shot in the head on July 13th. https://t.co/euxHVLAA5a
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) July 29, 2024
“The Earth would spin out of its orbit if a Republican president made a death joke about a Democrat House Speaker,” Mark Davis said.
The Earth would spin out of its orbit if a Republican president made a death joke about a Democrat House Speaker. https://t.co/L6D84dLNrm
— Mark Davis (@MarkDavis) July 30, 2024
“The press would be running 24-hour coverage if Trump said this,” RedState’s Bonchie posted.
The press would be running 24-hour coverage if Trump said this. https://t.co/0wVADrnMDj
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) July 29, 2024
Johnson responded with a clip from Biden’s disastrous debate with Trump — which set off a series of events that culminated in Biden’s abrupt exit from the 2024 presidential race.
“I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence,” Trump said of Biden in the video clip. “I don’t think he knows what he said either.”
https://t.co/RfSSVaQ1ak pic.twitter.com/RkiTWx2Oms
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) July 29, 2024