Mitt Romney has likened Biden’s raucous State of the Union speech and GOP heckling to the UK’s House of Commons where politicians from both sides of the aisle regularly face off.
The senator made the comparison between Thursday night’s address and the scenes normally found in the British parliament.
‘It’s beginning to sound more and more like the House of Commons in London,’ Romney was quoted as saying by Politico journalist Nicholas Wu.
The House of Commons is a lower house in the British parliament where elected members from all parties gather for debates which notoriously often descend into shouting and jeers.
Romney’s comments came after a Biden delivered a spirited State of the Union speech that was marked by outbursts from both sides of the political spectrum.
Mitt Romney likened Biden’s raucous State of the Union speech and GOP heckling to the UK’s House of Commons
President Joe Biden started off his State of the Union address by attacking Donald Trump
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) calls out to Biden to ‘say her name,’ referring to murdered nursing student Laken Riley
The rowdy scenes were reminiscent of the chaos that often unfolds in the British House of Commons where politicians from both sides often end up in shouting matches mediated by the speaker (pictured)
The president got into several back-and-forths with Republican lawmakers during his remarks, in which he repeatedly attacked his GOP presidential rival, Donald Trump.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., shouted ‘lies’ as Biden criticized Trump’s Covid-19 response.
Most Democrats stood and cheered throughout the entire speech, except a minority of progressives who protested the president’s response to Israel’s bombing of Gaza.
When Biden talked about a bill to increase border security that was killed by Republicans after Trump came out against it, GOP lawmakers booed him.
‘Five thousand a day!’ Republican members shouted, referring to a provision that would shut the border after an average of 5,000 migrants tried to cross.
Among the most vocal was Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who had many outbursts throughout the night.
She urged Biden to ‘say her name’, in reference to murdered University of Georgia student Laken Riley who is thought to have been killed by an illegal immigrant.
Greene, who was wearing a shirt with Riley’s name, shouted at Biden ‘say her name’.
He acquiesced, but called the slain nursing student ‘Lincoln’ in an embarrassing blunder.
A protester yelled out at President Biden and was removed from the House Chamber
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) (left) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts) (right) hold up signs supporting a ceasefire in the Middle East
There was further disruption when an unidentified protester began screaming in the House chamber during Biden’s remarks.
Images of the protester posted online show that he was in the guest seating area.
It appeared to be a Gold Star family member who shouted ‘Abbey Gate’ referencing the location where 13 servicemembers were killed in the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
It has been reported the protester was escorted out of the chamber shortly after his outburst.
The rowdy behavior was reminiscent of scenes commonly seen across the pond, where the House of Commons has its own rule allowing the speaker to adjourn without taking a vote in the case of ‘grave disorder.’
The rule was introduced following several heated sessions, some of which even resulted in physical clashes.
One of the more recent instances of chaos in the Commons occurred two weeks ago, after the three biggest political parties sought to out-maneuver each other over a vote on a ceasefire in Gaza.
Tempers flared and several lawmakers ended up storming out of the chamber after a decision by the speaker to ignore precedent and allow a vote which helped the opposition Labour Party avoid a large-scale rebellion among its own lawmakers over its position on the Israel-Hamas war.
In one section addressing the war in Ukraine Biden thundered, ‘I will not bow down’ as he urged Congress to stand up to Putin
Democrats were rowdy during President Biden’s speech, cheering often
Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) cheer as Biden delivers his annual State of the Union address
But even when he wasn’t being interrupted, Biden put on a spirited display, at times banging his fist and shouting to get his points across.
In one section addressing the war in Ukraine he thundered, ‘I will not bow down’ as he urged Congress to stand up to Putin.
Democrats also booed loudly as Biden described Trump’s more laissez-faire approach to the Russian autocrat.
Biden quoted Trump as saying ‘do whatever the hell you want’ in Europe, prompting jeers from the audience.
The president also made pointed remarks towards the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v Wade as he made an impassioned pledge to restore abortion rights.