The Republican response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, delivered by Alabama Senator Katie Britt, has left many within her own party disappointed.
Some have described the speech, which was intended to be a counterpoint to the President’s address, as “one of our biggest disasters ever.”
The 42-year-old Republican Senator was presented with a prime opportunity to sell not just herself but her party to a national audience. However, her performance failed to resonate even among fellow conservatives.
For one, the choice of setting—a kitchen—added to the confusion, with critics questioning the message it sent about women in leadership.
The content, which criticized the Democrats for not understanding the issues, was overshadowed by its presentation. Far-right commentator Charlie Kirk lamented that Britt’s speech was not what the party needed, especially after Biden’s aggressive address. He said,
“I’m sure Katie Britt is a sweet mom and person, but this speech is not what we need. Joe Biden just declared war on the American right and Katie Britt is talking like she’s hosting a cooking show, whispering about how Democrats ‘dont get it’.”
When speaking to CNN, Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump aide, questioned the decision to place Britt in a kitchen for such a significant speech, arguing that it undermined her stature as a stateswoman.
“Senator Katie Britt is a very impressive person … I do not understand the decision to put her in a KITCHEN for one of the most important speeches she’s ever given. The staging of this was bizarre to me. Women can be both wives and mothers and also stateswomen, so to put her in a kitchen, not at a podium or in the Senate chamber where she was elected after running a hard-fought race, I think fell very flat and was completely confusing to some women watching it.”
The backlash was not limited to political commentators. Social media users and Republican insiders alike mocked the speech for its dramatic delivery and tone.
Some even predicted it would become fodder for comedy shows like SNL.
