After a year-and-a-half of mostly trying to play nice with Republicans, the gloves seem to be fully off in Democratic President Joe Biden's Oval Office.
Biden followed weeks of sweeping legislative successes--one of which was won by beating Republicans at their own legislative games--with a televised speech last night in which he directly called out the MAGA movement and its Republican boosters in Washington as a pro-fascism crusade against democracy itself.
But the battle wasn't waged just on the airwaves--Biden's Administration took it to the front most favored by the MAGA movement's Washington agitators, too: Twitter.
Throughout Biden's speech, the White House's official Twitter account went after MAGA-aligned Republicans with a string of tweets calling them out by name--and people were 100% here for what feels to many like a long-overdue offensive.
\u201cMAGA Republican elected officials refuse to accept the results of free and fair elections.\n\n147 Congressional Republicans voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. https://t.co/yVC9fvQzfH\u201d— The White House (@The White House) 1662077715
The account began with a tweet pointing out MAGA Republicans' diehard obsession with moving the United States back in time on several important social issues.
\u201cThe MAGA agenda is focused on dragging our country backwards.\n\n195 House Republicans voted against the Right to Contraception Act. 157 House Republicans voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Republicans in Congress praised the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade.\u201d— The White House (@The White House) 1662077444
The tweet centered on the 195 House Republicans who publicly voted against protecting access to contraception and the 157 who voted against same-sex marriage protections.
Both issues were taken up by Congress this summer in response to the Supreme Court's threatened attacks on these rights following its overturn of key Court decisions impacting abortion rights in its Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health decision in June.
The White House then moved on to calling out the 147 Congressional Republicans who voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election before moving on to MAGA Republicans' adulation of the January 6 insurrectionists.
\u201cMAGA Republicans in Congress view the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6 as patriots.\n\nOn the anniversary of the violent insurrection, Congressman Matt Gaetz said \u201cWe\u2019re proud of the work that we did on January 6 to make legitimate arguments about election integrity.\u201d\u201d— The White House (@The White House) 1662078041
Next up were far-right ideologues like Republican Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert and Republican Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.
\u201cIn recent weeks, FBI agents are facing threats from MAGA Republican elected officials.\n\nCongressional Republicans \u2013 such as Congresswomen Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene and Congressmen Andy Biggs, Dan Bishop, and Paul Gosar \u2013 have publicly called for defunding the FBI.\u201d— The White House (@The White House) 1662078399
Both ran on vociferously pro-law enforcement platforms but immediately about-faced after the FBI's search for classified documents at former Republican President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence last month, joining several other MAGA Republicans in calling for the law enforcement agency to be defunded.
And, of course, MAGA Republicans' embarrassing sycophantic obsession with Trump himself came in for criticism as well.
\u201cThe MAGA agenda promotes blind loyalty to Donald Trump. \n\nIn April 2022, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy received a standing ovation from House Republicans when he walked back comments denouncing Donald Trump for the events of January 6.\u201d— The White House (@The White House) 1662079679
Many on Twitter thunderously applauded the White House's long overdue call outs of the MAGA movement.
\u201cThe @WhiteHouse Twitter account is on fire!\u201d— Natalie Pacholl (@Natalie Pacholl) 1662141361
\u201cI couldn't love this more. The White House and Joe Biden have had enough of MAGA Republicans. I'm with Joe.\u201d— Jan Snark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 #SlavaUkraini \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b (@Jan Snark \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 #SlavaUkraini \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b) 1662119566
\u201cThis November didn't have to be about Trump.\n\nBut REPUBLICANS just can't let him go. \n\nThey've spent the past 2 years carrying out his every whim. Some are even going to prison for him. Many are willing to destroy our democracy for him.\n\nAll good people have to say NO MORE!\u201d— Gene Wu (@Gene Wu) 1662124832
\u201cThis is what necessitates real outrage. This is what necessitates honest and truthful speech. To those crying about their hurt feelings or claiming divisive talk from Biden, we are done. Enough abuse. #utpol\u201d— Sharon (@Sharon) 1662126106
\u201cThis is why MAGA is so dangerous to our democracy, this blind and completely undeserved loyalty to a man filled with empty words and broken promises. A man who espouses hate, bigotry & division cannot lead any nation to greatness. #OurBlueVoice #BlueCrew @WhiteHouse\u201d— Ellohh \u262e\ufe0f (@Ellohh \u262e\ufe0f) 1662127253
\u201cCalling out haters and traitors #DarkBrandonRises\u201d— eliza rose \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83d\ude9c (@eliza rose \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83d\ude9c) 1662111855
\u201cNo malarkey here. So refreshing and so true. Biden & Dems have done so much-- Rescue Plan, Infrastructure, Climate Action-- we can do more for all Americans if we keep going together. #morningjoe #NewDay #lastword #thereidout #crossconnection\u201d— Celery Caraway (@Celery Caraway) 1662081293
\u201cI am here for the official @WhiteHouse account calling out MAGA Republicans on their lies, violent rhetoric, and sheer idiocy.\u201d— ddubov \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@ddubov \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1662139284
\u201cCALL. THEM. ALL. OUT.\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1662078920
\u201cREALLY happy the WH has someone new behind the social media accounts. It's time to fight.\u201d— Del\u00e9 Balogun \ud83d\uddfd\ud83c\udf3b (@Del\u00e9 Balogun \ud83d\uddfd\ud83c\udf3b) 1662080479
\u201cOoo, they're naming them. I'm loving this WH!\u201d— Blue Blooded Dem-Fighting Ready in the Double \u270c\ud83c\udffe\u270c (@Blue Blooded Dem-Fighting Ready in the Double \u270c\ud83c\udffe\u270c) 1662127549
The tweets are part of a new more combative and straight-talking direction the White House's Twitter account has taken since social media manager Megan Coyne joined the administration as deputy director of platforms in its Office of Digital Strategy.
Here's hoping it's the opening act of the sweeping change in direction our country desperately needs.
