President Joe Biden’s recent news conference missed the mark on foreign relations, and the economy, according to the members of Wyoming’s congressional delegation.
U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney and U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis all made critical comments about Biden’s news conference Wednesday, the first time he has spoken with reporters for several months.
Cheney singled out Biden’s comments about tension between Russia and Ukraine for criticism.
“President Biden’s description of a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine as a ‘minor incursion’ was deeply troubling & dangerous,” Cheney said. “Putin must understand that any Russian invasion will be met with a swift and overwhelming response from the US and our NATO allies.”
She was referring to a question Biden was asked about the possibility of a Cold War with Russia. Biden said he expected Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine, but U.S. and NATO allies would respond with “severe costs and significant harm on Russia and the Russian economy.”
Biden used the news conference to describe his first year in office as a year of challenges, but also of progress, while discussing his plans for upcoming months.
Biden said he expects his proposed action on social issues and climate change will have to be broken up to clear Congress, meaning some of his top priorities, such as child care, may be dropped.
Lummis told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday it appears that Biden is not aware of the challenges being faced by American citizens.
“It seems like he is completely unaware of what people in Wyoming and across the country are facing every day. Empty shelves, higher prices, and stagnant wages are just the tip of the iceberg,” she said. “Instead of being a unity president, he is taking every opportunity to point fingers and shift blame. The White House branded this press conference as a reset, and I truly hope it is, but it felt like more of the same. The people of Wyoming deserve better from their President.”
Barrasso had similar comments during a Senate floor speech on Wednesday afternoon, saying that the White House did not have a communication problem with Biden, it had an agenda problem.
“The White House seems to think that the cure for Joe Biden’s poll numbers is more communications from Joe Biden,” he said. “The White House doesn’t have a communications problem. It has an agenda problem. The American people understand exactly what President Biden and Senator Schumer and Speaker Pelosi are trying to sell. The American people aren’t buying it. Democrats don’t need a message reset. They need a better agenda for the nation.”
