RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said that Republicans would work with the Biden administration to help Americans if Biden will work with them.
Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday, McDaniel pointed to the example of former President Bill Clinton, who governed as much more of a centrist after Republicans swept into office with a massive red wave in 1994.
“[W]e need a president that’s going to work across the aisle,” McDaniel said. “None of this happens unless both parties are working together. So, if we win back the House and the Senate, it’s the American people saying to Joe Biden, we want you to work on behalf of us and we want you to work across the aisle and solve the problems that we are dealing with. Bill Clinton did that, right? After ’94, when he lost those midterms, he came across and said, let’s work together. It will be interesting to see if President Biden does that.”
“Absolutely,” host Dana Bash responded. “And that requires a two-way street. Will Republicans be willing to do the same, and not just be a roadblock for him?”
“We have to,” McDaniel answered. “We have to work on behalf of the American people. I don’t live in Washington, D.C. I live in Michigan. I talk to people every day. I talk to restaurant owners who are desperate to find labor. I talk to families who are dealing, including mine, with these education deficits with our kids being locked down. They really want to see government start functioning.”
“And Republicans will be a partner?” asked Bash.
“Yes,” McDaniel replied.
Even though McDaniel promised that Republicans would work with Biden, he has given no indications that he will work with Republicans. At a public event in September, then again this week, Biden said he would be busy utilizing his veto power to stop Republicans from implementing their agenda.
“If we lose the House and we lose the Senate it’s going to be a really difficult two years,” Biden said at a DNC reception in Boston in September, via the Associated Press. “I’ll be spending more time with the veto pen than getting anything done.”
“[I]f we just get by and keep this House and Senate, we’re going to be okay,” Biden said again at another DNC reception. “But if we lose the House and Senate, it’s going to be a horrible two years. The good news is I’ll have a veto pen.”