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Vice President Kamala Harris drew attention on social media for a clip of her giving House Speaker Mike Johnson the "coldest shoulder" ahead of President Joe Biden's State of the Union address Thursday night.
Video posted to X, formerly Twitter, showed Harris and Johnson stand side by side not speaking, while Harris crossed her arms as they waited for Biden.
"Vice President Harris is giving Mike Johnson the COLDEST shoulder and I love it," wrote political commentator Luke Beasley.
"That's my VP!!" wrote X user Jack Cocchiarella.
However, Harris and Johnson also had pleasant interactions. When Harris arrived to the House floor ahead of the speech, the two shook hands and she briefly chatted with Johnson, a Louisiana Republican and staunch critic of the Biden administration.
The Context
Biden's State of the Union comes as he seeks to make his reelection case to the American people. Biden appears poised to secure the Democratic presidential nomination, setting up a likely rematch against former President Donald Trump in November. Republicans, meanwhile, have used the address to call attention to what they view as blunders from the administration over the economy and foreign policy.
What We Know
The State of the Union is the first in which Johnson has led the GOP, as he became House speaker in October.
His tenure has been defined by tensions with the Biden administration as they have sparred over issues including the economy, immigration and support for Ukraine as it defends itself against an invasion from Russia, launched in February 2022.
However, ahead of the event, Johnson urged Republican members of the House to show "decorum" during Biden's speech, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Views
Other social media users also weighed in on the interactions between Harris and Johnson.
"Mike Johnson has no interest in Kamala Harris and neither do we," wrote X user @TheAmericanGrl.
"VP Kamala Harris doesn't like Mike Johnson," wrote @mistergeezy.
"Mike Johnson gives Kamala Harris the cold shoulder," wrote the Citizen Free Press, a conservative-leaning publication, on X.
What's Next?
Biden began speaking shortly before 9:30 p.m. ET, beginning the speech by saying his purpose is to "wake up the Congress" and issuing a warning about U.S. support for Ukraine. Some House conservatives have declined to support more aid for Ukraine, drawing criticism from Biden and even other Republicans.
"What makes our moment rare is freedom and democracy under attack at home and overseas at the very same time," Biden said.
Update 3/7/24, 9:31 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more