President Joe Biden addressed care workers in Union Station in Washington, D.C. on Monday — and snapped when he was interrupted.
During his speech, Biden trumpeted the three-year-old American Rescue Plan, a tax-and-spend package often blamed for fueling inflation by doubling-down on the previous administration’s CARES Act.
While talking, Biden was interrupted a heckler… and when he became confused, Biden snapped in anger.
“To invest in our care economy, as soon as I came into office, I signed the American Rescue Plan. Not a single Republican voted for it, I might add — not one,” Biden said, stumbling while trying to talk over the voice of a heckler.
“It made our nation’s biggest investment in childcare ever. For example, it kept 225,000 childcare workers — cen- — well, childcare working centers open, giving parents an opportunity to get back to work.”
Before long, Biden lost his cool.
“Well, I tell you what,” Biden said. “You want to come make a speech or shush up, OK?”
Biden then turned to his supporters.
“I’m not messing around with him,” Biden said. “He looks like he could take me.”
Take a look —
"You want to come make a speech or shush up, OK? I'm not messing around with him. He looks like he could take me."
— President Biden fires back at an audience member who interrupts his speech about the "care economy" pic.twitter.com/Ja6VDaFIWt
— The Recount (@therecount) April 9, 2024
In some speeches, Biden has leaned into the heckling. During his State of the Union address last month, Biden faced backlash from Republicans after mentioning the border proposal in Congress, and then he claimed their protest was an example of obstructionist politics.
“Instead of playing politics,” he said. “Join me in telling Congress to pass it.”
Biden has seen his polling numbers steadily decline throughout his presidency.
For example, Biden has seen his likeability rating slip by nine points between September 2020 and March 2024, according to telephone interviews with about 1,000 U.S. adults by Gallup polls.
It’s no wonder that he’s so angry.
Take a look —
Americans are less likely now than they were in 2020 to believe a number of positive personal qualities and characteristics apply to President Joe Biden.
The biggest decline has come in the percentage believing Biden is able to manage government effectively, but his scores are… pic.twitter.com/CFSaTfcskc
— GallupNews (@GallupNews) April 8, 2024
The Horn editorial team