Joe Biden Joins Democrats Defending Liz Cheney to Keep GOP Conference Chair
President Joe Biden joined Democrats on Wednesday in defending Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) to keep the Republican Conference chair position.
When Biden was asked if he had “any comments on the efforts to oust Liz Cheney from the House Republican leadership post?”
Biden replied, “I don’t understand the Republicans.”
Reporter: “Do you have any comments on the efforts to oust Liz Cheney from the House Republican leadership post?”
Biden: “I don’t understand the Republicans.” pic.twitter.com/b7UO93udnG
— Wendell Husebø (@WendellHusebo) May 5, 2021
Biden’s comment comes after several Democrats voiced support for Cheney as current Republican Conference chair after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said Tuesday Cheney’s family-like style of big government politics is incompatible with “carrying out the message.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) praised Cheney on Tuesday for her “courage” and “patriotism,” along with Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), who showed sympathy for Cheney by tweeting, “TRANSLATION: Representative Liz Cheney is unwilling to lie.”
“It’s clear House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has lost control of his caucus…,” the DNC War Room’s Twitter account also said.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not stay out of the fray Tuesday. “The Republican Party seems to be spending a lot of blood, sweat, and tears on where they stand and what they stand for, and that is their prerogative,” she said.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is rumored to be the front runner for Cheney’s position as former President Trump issued a statement in her favor, a rumor in which the never-Trump Lincoln Project must agree due to unleashing a video attacking her.
JUST IN: Donald Trump is backing loyalist Elise Stefanik’s bid to replace Liz Cheney as Chair of the House Republican Conference.
It’s no surprise really — Stefanik sold her soul to the disgraced former President long ago. pic.twitter.com/7JNVGk6iVf
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) May 5, 2021
Breitbart News reported Wednesday that “Stefanik has built up goodwill” with Republicans “because she’s raised a lot of money… in the 2020 election cycle when the GOP upset many Democrats throughout the country and picked off 14 blue seats.” Stefanik raised $11 million during the 2020 cycle.
But Cheney, chairing the conference, has raised the most money out of any Republican from PACs, and second only to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) overall. Cheney’s ouster has financial implications Republican members must consider.
Other than raising money, the conference chair is responsible for “electing the House Republican leadership, approving GOP Member committee assignments, managing leadership-driven floor debates, and executing a communications strategy that is executed within the party and is conveyed to constituents through the media.”
