‘Literally Taking a Joy Ride’: Biden and McConnell Hold Rare Joint Event to Hype Infrastructure Bill As House GOP Remains in Chaos
AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) joined President Joe Biden on Wednesday in Kentucky for a rare joint press conference to hype the bipartisan infrastructure bill that will fund the replacement of an aging bridge connecting Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, which is currently carrying double the traffic it is meant to support.
The White House also invited Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), JD Vance (R-OH), and Rand Paul (R-KY) to attend the event in Covington, but only Brown and McConnell accepted. Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine and Kentucky’s Democratic Governor Steve Beshear also attended the event.
Former President Donald Trump lit into McConnell ahead of the event, declaring “If Republicans are going to fight, we ought to be fighting Mitch McConnell.” Trump was, of course, alluding to the ongoing GOP infighting as House Republicans entered their second day of attempting to elect a House speaker – a historic debacle by the GOP, which has not happened in 100 years. Trump also repeated a racist attack on McConnell’s wife, who served in his cabinet, regarding her heritage.
Biden was greeted upon landing ahead of the event by DeWine, McConnell, and Beshear. Biden then gave McConnell a ride in the Beast, the presidential limousine, to the Brent Spence bridge. The Associated Press’s White House reporter Seung Min Kim commented on that car ride, saying, “To be a fly on this (car) wall!”
The Huffington Post’s senior political reporter Igor Bobic jested, “Biden and McConnell literally taking a joy ride while the House GOP implodes.”
On the flight to Kentucky, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre spoke about Biden and McConnell’s relations and decades-long friendship.
“Look, you know, they’ve been friends and respected each other and worked together across the aisle for many years. As you know, the President was a Senator for 34 years, Vice President for eight and now clearly has been in his second year, is going into his third year of his tenure as president,” said Jean-Pierre, according to press poll reports.
“And while they would be the first to tell you that they disagree on all kinds of things, they believe in cooperating when they have specific areas of mutual agreement for the good of the country, and that’s what you’re seeing,” she continued, adding:
A significant issue they agreed on was the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law– that’s going to see even more implementation this year building in communities all over the country. We just heard Mitch Landrieu lay that out what we’re expecting to see this year. It has strong bipartisan support nationally and in Kentucky because it’s creating good jobs, not Republican or Democratic jobs, but good jobs for the American people– American jobs. Again, it’s investing in bridges and airports and broadband, clean water and EVs, it’s cutting costs and strengthening our supply chains and competitiveness. Again, they have a friendship that goes over decades, and they will be the first to say what they agree on and disagree on, but this is an important day.
McConnell’s appearance alongside Biden raised eyebrows across the political spectrum as leaders of both parties boasting of shared accomplishments remains a rare event in today’s politics. Additionally, McConnell’s support for the infrastructure bill and the recent omnibus spending bill has raised the ire of fiscal conservatives and other Republicans, like Trump, who has fumed at the Kentucky Republican for giving Democrats “wins.”
McConnell has defended the infrastructure bill, which sends some $4 billion to his state, saying, “We have a lot of infrastructure needs, both in rural areas and with big bridges. It’s a godsend for Kentucky.”
