President Joe Biden offered an olive branch to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Thursday as he gave an interfaith and bipartisan address to the National Prayer Breakfast, remarks on Capitol Hill that come amid pressing issues including the debt limit, a national conversation on justice and policing and congressional investigations into his administration.
Biden’s remarks on respect and the hard work of loving one’s neighbor were given to a smaller group of lawmakers than previous breakfasts as organizers sought to return the event to its original purpose: An intimate meeting of lawmakers, faith leaders and the president of the United States gathering in fellowship to pray for the country and guidance to lead the nation.
Recalling a time in Congress when lawmakers would “argue like hell” with each other and then break bread, Biden said, “I don’t know how we do that anymore. But we have to. We have to start treating each other in ways different than we have, in my humble opinion.”
He continued, “Let’s just sort of, kind of join hands again a little bit. Let’s start treating each other with respect. That’s what Kevin and I are going to do, not a joke. Very good meeting yesterday. I think we got to do it across the board. Doesn’t mean we’ve got to agree – fight like hell – but let’s treat each other with respect.”
Biden and McCarthy huddled for over an hour on Wednesday in the Oval Office on the debt limit and federal spending. The meeting, as predicted, did not bear fruit, but McCarthy signaled optimism that it was a “good first start” and both he and Biden can reach consensus “long before” the United States reaches default. Both sides, however, remain dug in on their respective positions.
Biden called on Americans more broadly to “look out for one another” as he recalled the loss of the last several years, pointing…
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