President Joe Biden held his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress earlier this week, and it wasn't without its viral moments.
Never the ones to turn down opportunities for antics, the most chaotic outbursts came from far-right Representatives Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.
From the very start, as Biden entered the chamber, the two Congresswomen turned their back on him in protest, but some felt they ended up looking lost. During the address, when Biden spoke on the issue of border security, the pair leapt to their feet in a failed effort to start a "build the wall" chant in support of former President Donald Trump's failed campaign promise.
But the most egregious outburst came as Biden mentioned American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan who were exposed to toxic burn pits for an extended period of time, resulting in cancer diagnoses. Biden's son was among the soldiers exposed to burn pits and diagnosed with a brain cancer that would later kill him.
As Biden mentioned these troops being put into flag-draped coffins, Boebert shouted, "You put them in! Thirteen of them!"—an allusion to the 13 American soldiers who died in a suicide bombing last year during the Biden administration's widely-panned withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Watch below.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, ever classless and attention-seeking, yells out "You put them in, 13 of them" when Biden mentions flag-draped coffins coming home from Afghanistan. #SOTU pic.twitter.com/GnHHNG8weY
— The Recount (@therecount) March 2, 2022
Boebert has since been praised by far-right media personalities for her outburst, and said she took umbrage that Biden's speech didn't address the deaths of the soldiers.
Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi responded to the outburst at a recent press conference, alluding to a video of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina appearing to murmur "Shut up" or an expletive in a real-time reaction to Boebert's heckling.
Watch Pelosi's response below.
Speaker Pelosi relayed a simple message to GOP Reps. Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had numerous outbursts during Pres. Biden’s State of the Union address: ‘Shut up’ pic.twitter.com/OUhs6N9jGk
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 3, 2022
Pelosi said:
"Let me just say this: I agree with what Senator Lindsey Graham said: 'Shut up.' That's what he said to them. I think they should just shut up."
Boebert soon responded.
So Fancy Nancy is upset about me speaking out at the State of the Union.
What’s she so torn up about?
I will not “shut up” about Biden’s failure in Afghanistan and the 13 heroes we lost because of it. pic.twitter.com/m3RnO5YiG8
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) March 3, 2022
But others praised Pelosi's response.
Agreed, madam speaker.
— D. Canzoneri 🇺🇸🐾🐎🐈 I stand with 🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@wire2wire) March 3, 2022
pic.twitter.com/GSCxbLVdJW
— BrimstonewinPete (@Brimstonepete) March 3, 2022
Nancy strikes again.♥️♥️♥️ https://t.co/u0vi4rfhxR
— Sha Sha 🇺🇦 (@francescatututu) March 3, 2022
I just ❤️ this woman. https://t.co/HQVVbt5qI7
— Naked Zebra 🦓 🇺🇦 🌈🌊 (@ZebraNaked) March 3, 2022
Others chastised Boebert's response.
What about the 63 American soldiers that died under Trump, you partisan hack? No outrage for them? https://t.co/MZw9gc7xAf pic.twitter.com/gXnD1nno2Y
— #IStandWithUkraine (@brendajoanneWY) March 3, 2022
Why did you vote against funding the military and congressional gold medals for Capitol police officers?
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) March 3, 2022
I hope you can read this, I doubt you”ll understand the message. pic.twitter.com/S03IRlHteZ
— 4 EverMokum (@FransHibma) March 3, 2022
Time and place.
If everyone voiced a concern at the SOTU it doesn't do what it's supposed to do.
Time and place. It's really not that complicated
— Byron Ricketts (@BJR3_Boston) March 3, 2022
Bad Intel is a tragic consequence of war. You deliberately voting no to help those who assisted us is not an accident.
You can't have it both ways. https://t.co/kvokI3x0Bi
— Pass H.R.1 - For the People Act (@MshellButtercup) March 3, 2022
Boebert and Greene remain unapologetic.
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@GregAbbott_TX/X
