President Joe Biden on Friday suggested that the modern Republican Party is not the same as it was in years past, accusing some members of the GOP of refusing to speak out against their own party over fears of a primary election challenge.
During a press conference in Seattle to tout his climate agenda, the president pointed to leaked audiotapes released earlier this week revealing House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's (R) support for the resignation of former President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Biden said, "This ain't your father's Republican Party. Not a joke. All you got to do is look what's being played this morning about the tape that was released — anyway."
"All kidding aside, this is a MAGA party now," he continued, a reference to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. "You've got the senator from Texas and others. These guys are a different breed of cat. They're not like what I served with for so many years. And the people who know better are afraid to act correctly because they know they’ll be primaried."
BIDEN: "This ain't your father's Republican Party...this is a MAGA party now." pic.twitter.com/yP6EvFgzZp
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 22, 2022
Biden said up to six GOP lawmakers have privately told him they would like to support some of his proposals but that they cannot over fears they would lose their Republican primary election. This statement echoes comments the president has said publicly in the past.
This is just the instance this week in which the president questioned Republicans' loyalty to conservatism.
On Thursday, Biden said at a fundraising rally in Seattle that "there's nothing conservative" about Florida Republicans ending Disney World's special tax status over Disney's statement condemning the state's Parental Rights in Education law.
"I respect conservatives," Biden said at the time. "There's nothing conservative about deciding you're going to throw Disney out of its present posture because, Mickey Mouse? In fact, do you think we should not be able to say, you know, 'gay?'"
The parental rights legislation, signed into law last month by Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, prohibits instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in grades kindergarten through third grade and limits age-inappropriate discussions of sexuality in other grades.
Dubbed by critics as the "Don't say gay" bill despite there being no mention of a ban on the word, H.B. 1557 also allows parents to access their children's education and health records and requires schools to notify parents of changes to their child's mental, physical or emotional well-being. The bill exempts schools from disclosing information to parents if a "reasonably prudent person" would be concerned that doing so could result in abuse, abandonment or neglect.