Sen. Katie Britt becomes instant punchline over GOP State of the Union response
Sen. Katie Britt won an unwanted place in the annals of epic political flops for her “bizarre” response to President Biden’s fiery State of the Union speech on Thursday night.
The Alabama lawmaker went from little-known but respected junior senator to national punchline among some in minutes with a speech that was panned across the political spectrum.
Republicans hoped that Britt, the youngest female GOP member in the Senate, would cut through the political noise and appeal to everyday Americans.
Instead, she came across to many like a high school drama class dropout with a cringeworthy delivery.
Britt, 42, spoke from a Spartan kitchen, a backdrop that was intended to convey her everywoman credentials. For many liberals, it instead underlined the GOP’s perceived desire to roll back the clock on women’s rights.
“Women can be both wives and mothers and also stateswomen,” said Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump spokeswoman. “So to put her in a kitchen, not in front of a podium or in the Senate chamber … fell very flat and was confusing to some women watching it.”
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Britt rapidly and unconvincingly transitioned from graphic descriptions of gang rapes of migrant women to dramatic disappointment at rising prices at the grocery store, giving the speech an odd effect that many found phony.
It wasn’t just Biden fans that gave Britt a thumbs down.
MAGA loyalists trashed her for failing to mention President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign and for trying way too hard.
“Joe Biden just declared war on the American right and Katie Britt is talking like she’s hosting a cooking show,” said Charlie Kirk of the pro-Trump Turning Points USA.
“It’s just too weird to watch,” tweeted Laura Loomer, a right-wing former Florida congressional candidate. “Why does the GOP always give us their worst?”
“Seems nice, but not ready for primetime,” tweeted Jack Posobiec, a MAGA hardliner.
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It’s hard to grab America’s attention for the State of the Union response, a forum for partisan talking points that is usually forgotten by the next news cycle.
But Britt won a vaunted place alongside novices like ex-Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who gave a widely-derided Mr. Rogers imitation in 2009 and Sen. Marco Rubio, who interrupted his 2013 rebuttal to take a lengthy swig of bottled water.
Britt reminded many of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, whose off-the-wall remarks and trademark “you betcha” delivery became an instant caricature of itself.