‘We can’t take this BS anymore’: Rick Scott reveals why he challenged Mitch McConnell – and slams Biden and ‘incoherent’ Karine Jean-Pierre for ‘lying’ about him
- Senator Rick Scott announced Thursday that he was aiming to be the “most disliked person in Washington” as he ran against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
- “Everyone in Washington said I was crazy. I could. But we can’t take this BS anymore,” he said as he challenged the longtime Senate GOP leader
- On the CPAC stage, Scott cracked down on Republicans who had voted in favor of bills like the bipartisan infrastructure bill
- He also called White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre “incoherent” and President Joe Biden “incompetent.”
Sen. Rick Scott announced Thursday that he aimed to be the “most disliked person in Washington” when he took over Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to head the Senate GOP last year.
The Florida Republican delivered a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference Thursday afternoon, addressing his lost bid for Senate leadership and alluding to his recent row with the Biden administration over Social Security and Medicare.
“Everyone in Washington said I was crazy. I could. But we can’t take this BS anymore,” he said of challenging McConnell.
He hammered the “old establishment leaders of our own Republican Party” for lending votes to Democrats to pass legislation, including the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
“I’m trying to be the least popular person in Washington and I’m happy to report that I’m making great progress,” Scott told the audience at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. “The President lies about me. Both Democratic and Republican Senate leaders lie about me. Pelosi, she says terrible things about me. You have the President’s incoherent press secretary attacking me, so my plan is working.’
Sen. Rick Scott announced Thursday that he aimed to be the “most disliked person in Washington” when he took over Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to head the Senate GOP last year
In November, Scott attempted to challenge Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to lead the Senate GOP. McConnell won easily
Ahead of the midterms in November, and again in his State of the Union address, Biden hammered at Scott for his plan to “suspend” federal legislation every five years, which Democrats said would include Social Security and Medicare.
Scott said his intention was never to include those programs and claimed Democrats were lying, but later added a clarifying point to the plan on his website RescueAmerica.com.
“Note to President Biden, Senator Schumer and Senator McConnell – As you know, this should never apply to Social Security, Medicare or the US Navy,” he wrote.
McConnell had also criticized Scott’s plan, fearing it could hurt Senate Republicans’ prospects in the midterms.
The Democrats eventually clinched a seat in the November election, with Democratic Sen. John Fetterman flipping the seat held by retired Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.
A few weeks later, McConnell easily defeated Scott’s challenge to become Republican leader.
Scott delivered a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday afternoon
Scott called White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (left) “incoherent” and President Joe Biden “incompetent” in his CPAC speech.
Scott said after the vote he was “gently advised” to apologize to McConnell for hiring him.
“OK, in the infamous words of Conor McGregor, I don’t want to apologize to anyone at all,” Scott said to applause.
70-year-old Scott also shot 80-year-old Biden.
“Joe Biden projects weakness and weakness invites wolves in. Weakness invites wars. Look at Ukraine,” he said.
“Our political system, like our president, has all been lost,” he continued. “I don’t think any of us can pretend to be competent. Sometimes I’m not even sure if he’s the president.”
Scott claimed the government was controlled by “incompetent neo-Marxists.”
“Unelected employees writing words for his teleprompter,” he continued. “These are science deniers who can’t tell you what a woman is. They make fun of people of faith. And they hate the values on which our great country was founded. They are hostile to American ideals.”
“Meanwhile, our establishment political leaders are making deals about their own political futures, knowing full well that their tired old solutions will continue to fail us,” he added, redirecting his anger back at McConnell.