The White House is trying to take advantage of Republicans' weak points by highlighting the struggles of Rep. Kevin McCarthy to become speaker in the GOP-led House, stressing the fabrications by Rep. George Santos of his background, and focusing on the second anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, the Washington Examiner reported.
Democrats already have taunted the GOP during the holidays over the situation of Santos and McCarthy, and now White House aides are planning two events this week to try to further exploit the Republican Party.
President Joe Biden is scheduled to hold an infrastructure event with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in Kentucky, and then give an address on the second anniversary of the Capitol attack.
Although Republicans admit that this might not be a very good week for them, party strategists are sure that, in the long run, a Republican-led House will hold Biden accountable for the next two years.
One GOP strategist complained that the "antics" of a few lawmakers, which made McCarthy the first candidate in more than 100 years to lose a speakership vote on the first ballot, have given Biden "another week of vacation" before the House's oversight "kicks into gear."
The Republican strategist emphasized to the Examiner that the "Kentucky photo ops will be short-lived for Biden as the focus will shift quickly to 2024, congressional hearings, and an economy heading in the wrong direction."
House Republicans are eager to probe many incidents that they hope will prove embarrassing to the Biden administration, according to the Examiner.
Possible investigations include the chaotic withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, Hunter Biden's business dealings abroad, the migrant crisis at the southern border, Attorney General Merrick Garland's management of the Justice Department, and Dr. Anthony Fauci's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
In an attempt to demonstrate that Biden's trip to Kentucky to meet up with McConnell is not political, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that Democrats outperforming expectations in the midterm elections was a message that the public wants bipartisanship.
"The American people said very loudly and clearly they want us to work together," Jean-Pierre told reporters, adding that the Kentucky trip "can highlight that we do big, profound things for the country when we work together."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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