The GOP tried everything they could to signal to the American people they didn't want to pass the social programs and safety nets that would help the public in Joe Biden's Build Back Better bill.
This included Republican House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, who delivered a record-breaking eight-and-a-half-hour speech on the House floor to try to delay the bill.
And the only thing he got from it was some online heckling from another House Representative.
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, better known as AOC, couldn't stand the blustering of McCarthy and made her own entertainment ridiculing the opposition.
Going live on Instagram, AOC introduced McCarthy's speech by saying:
"Live, from the cloakroom of the United States House of Representatives, one of the worst, lowest-quality speeches I have ever had the absolute atrocious lack of privilege to witness."
AOC insulted the GOP's opposition to strengthening unions and funding universal childcare and pre-k programs.
She also couldn't help but notice a certain common theme among the Republicans seated behind McCarthy.
"...Along with all these 'Agent Smiths' in the background, exhibiting the stunning diversity of the Republican Party."
"Look at all those different colored ties and haircuts! I have never seen a more diverse Republican party than the one behind Kevin McCarthy right now."
The heckling continued, with commenters on Twitter agreeing.
AOC roasts some peanuts (Reps in the “peanut gallery" behind McCarthy) https://t.co/m56RRIZMBh
— Colin Camerer (@CFCamerer) November 20, 2021
Please enjoy @RepAOC & @RepRaskin reminding us why the GOP is morally & ethically bankrupt.
As Kevin McCarthy rambles on about the sudden evils of infrastructure spending, they point out the stunning treason & cowardice of the GOP caucus behind him.#AOC#January6thInsurrection pic.twitter.com/4kNmWuGKci
— Neil Lowenthal (@NeilLowenthal1) November 21, 2021
"Effective heckling is a lost art," said one observer, "but @AOC managed to silence McCarthy for at least a few seconds."https://t.co/A8Dr4tXRs4 via @commondreams
— sarahnoname (@sarahredtree) November 20, 2021
BREAKING: AOC addresses Kevin McCarthy's now-infamously long speech opposing the Build Back Better Bill by saying “I've said it before, I think he talked a lot but had nothing to say."
— Paul Cogan (@PaulCogan) November 21, 2021
AOC knows what's up. And can far out-articulate that idiot McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/hi90eOqYAL
— Christine (@sis2catbat) November 20, 2021
Waste of space..
“McCarthy speaking against unions, against universal pre-K, against childcare, along with all these Agent Smiths in the background, exhibit the stunning diversity of the Republican party. Look at all of those different-colored ties and haircuts." AOC pic.twitter.com/GQCzKMTNOs
— Eliza Todd (@Smilynntodd) November 20, 2021
Raskin & AOC make a good team. After 8 hrs of McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/MnnpD1IZyy
— Barbara Stiles (@Dovewoman1) November 20, 2021
AOC sat down with Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland and the two continued making fun of McCarthy's speech.
They talked about the possibility McCarthy was talking so long to push the vote on the bill to the middle of the night. This would allow the GOP to claim the Democrats tried to sneak it through somehow.
AOC wasn't terribly impressed with the plan and said:
"If you're going to be evil, you might as well be an evil genius, not an evil..."
Raskin interjected:
"Imbecile!"
That was exactly the word AOC was looking for:
"Imbecile. At least give us some pizzazz with the undercutting of social safety nets."
After being thoroughly roasted and heckled for this long rambling speech, McCarthy whined to Fox News the Democrats were "trying to shut" him down.
The heckling by AOC really got under his skin, as he said of the incident:
"What was so interesting was how bad they were fighting back with every word I would say."
"They would scream from the other side trying to shut me down."
No one seemed to care McCarthy's feelings were hurt.
Two words was an attempt to shut him down? Kevin gets wimpier by the day. Soon he will be a spineless puddle on the floor.
— MACPHOTO (@mpchc1) November 21, 2021
This guy is so scared of AOC it cracks me up
— Eric (@RicknCo38) November 21, 2021
McCarthy is a sore looser who's incapable of wiping his own back side without asking daddy Trump for permission. He will never make speaker of the house, he has no back bone let alone a heart & it takes both those to make a good leader let alone a man of which he's neither.
— DeDe (@howcrazy) November 20, 2021
It's not surprising McCarthy's feelings were hurt when this is the same GOP offended by vaccinated Sesame Street characters.
Of course, they also let White supremacist-connected members get away with posting threats of violence in the form of anime videos, so it's hard to pin down what they really find offensive or why.
@jojowiththeflow.bsky.social
