Biden Praises McCarthy In Oval Office Debt Deal Speech — Declares Victory Over Heckling Republicans From SOTU

President Joe Biden praised “both sides” in his Oval Office speech on the debt limit deal — and traced part of his success to an exchange with Republicans who heckled him at the State of the Union address earlier this year.

Biden gave his first Oval Office address Friday night to talk about the bipartisan debt limit deal that has been passed in Congress to avoid a catastrophic default.

The president praised Speaker of the House McCarthy and extolled the virtues of bipartisanship. But he also pointed to the explosive moment Republicans heckled him at the State of the Union for accurately stating that “some Republicans, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset. I’m not saying it’s a majority.”

Biden referenced that moment as a turning point that allowed the programs to be protected:

I want to commend Senator — Speaker McCarthy. You know, he and I, we — and our teams — we were able to get along and get things done. We were straightforward with one another, completely honest with one another, and respectful with one another. Both sides operated in good faith. Both sides kept their word.

And I also want to commend other congressional leaders: House Minority Leader Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senate Minority Leader McConnell. They acted responsibly and put the good of the country ahead of politics.

The final vote in both chambers was overwhelming, far more bar- — bipartisan than anyone thought was possible.

So, I want to thank the members of Congress who voted to pass this agreement, which I’m going to sign tomorrow and become the law.

So here’s what the deal does:

First, it cuts spending. And over the next 10 years, the deficit will be cut by more than $1 trillion. And that will be on top of the record 1.7 trillion — $1.7 trillion I already cut the deficit in my first two years in office.

And it’s clear: We’re all on a much more fiscally responsible course than the one I inherited when I took office four years ago. When I came to office, the deficit had increased every year the previous four years. And nearly $8 trillion was added to the national debt in the last administration.

And now we’re turning things around, and that’s good for America.

You know, my dad used to have an expression. He said, “Joey, don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget; I’ll tell you what you value.” And that’s at the heart of this debate: What do we value?

Protecting seniors. You may remember, during my State of the Union Address there were a spir- — there was a spirited exchange between me and a few Republicans spontaneously occurring on the floor of the House of Representatives. I was pointing out that, for years, some of them were putting forward proposals to cut Social Security and Medicare.

And some of them that night took exception, and they said very loudly that that wasn’t true.

So I asked them on the House that night. I said — asked them a simple question: Will you agree not to cut Social Security and not to cut Medicare? Would they agree to protect these essential programs that are a lifeline for millions of Americans? Programs that these Americans have been paying into every single pay check they’ve earned since they started working and that provide so much peace of mind.

With the bright lights and cameras on, those few Republicans who were protesting, they agreed. They said they wouldn’t cut it. That’s how we protected Social Security and Medicare from the beginning and from it being cut, period.

Watch above via The White House.