Having to give the opposing party’s response after the State of the Union always seems like drawing the short stick as a politician. At least that’s the way it seemed for whoever had to respond to President Donald Trump and even President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speeches.
But on Tuesday night, after President Joe Biden provided a rambling speech where he slurred lies and spewed division, newly sworn-in Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR) shined as she was tapped to give the official GOP rebuttal to Biden. Sanders’ message was refreshing for its clarity as well its conciseness in explaining what’s at stake. Sanders’ final grade can be found below.
“Being a mom to three young children taught me not to believe every story I hear. So forgive me for not believing much of anything I heard tonight from President Biden,” she said at the outset of her remarks. “From out-of-control inflation and violent crime to the dangerous border crisis and threat from China, Biden and the Democrats have failed you.”
Sanders then went on to profess what truly makes America great.
“Tonight, let us reaffirm our commitment to a timeless American idea: that government exists not to rule the people, but to serve the people,” she said. “Democrats want to rule us with more government control, but that is not who we are.”
Reminding Americans of their remarkable place in history, the former Trump White House press secretary said, “America is the greatest country the world has ever known because we are the freest country the world has ever known, with a people who are strong and resilient.”
The youngest governor in the country was able to intertwine her own story to highlight the difference between the GOP and Biden’s agenda.
“I’m the first woman to lead my state,” she said. “He’s the first man to surrender his presidency to a woke mob that can’t even tell you what a woman is.”
“In the radical Left’s America, Washington taxes you and lights your hard-earned money on fire, but you get crushed with high gas prices, empty grocery shelves, and our children are taught to hate one another on account of their race, but not to love one another or our great country,” she said point-blank.
Sanders also put forth what the political fight from here on out is truly about.
“The dividing line in America is no longer between Right or Left,” she said. “The choice is between normal or crazy. ”
What does “crazy” look like?
Well, as Sanders said, “the Biden administration seems more interested in woke fantasies than the hard reality Americans face every day. Most Americans simply want to live their lives in freedom and peace, but we are under attack in a left-wing culture war we didn’t start and never wanted to fight.”
“Every day, we are told that we must partake in their rituals, salute their flags, and worship their false idols … all while big government colludes with Big Tech to strip away the most American thing there is — your Freedom of speech.”
“That’s not normal. It’s crazy, and it’s wrong,” she said.
One thing is clear, this “new generation of Republicans” isn’t shying away from the culture wars or taking on big business when needed. She also tackled illegal immigration, foreign policy embarrassments, and more.
In good news for Americans ever discontent with the establishment of both sides, Sanders made it known that the GOP will “not to be caretakers of the status quo, but to be changemakers for the American people.”
She ended her speech by entrusting the future into God’s hands.
“And with God as our witness, we will show the world that America is still the place where freedom reigns and liberty will never die,” she concluded.
Indeed, all of that does sound “normal” — especially compared to the freak show that is the Democratic Party.
Overall, she earns a B+. While the speech was great when focused on the issues of the day, it could have been sharpened by providing some more tangible solutions from the GOP to counteract left-wing lunacy. It also lagged at times, but again — it’s never easy following an 80-minute speech. It was certainly the best rebuttal in quite some time.
Her full speech can be viewed here:
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.