In a month dedicated to political rhetoric, perhaps it’s appropriate that Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said President Barack Obama is “wisely pivoting to the center rhetorically.” The Kentucky senator, however, was cautious on whether the president will signal a desire to work with Republicans during his Tuesday State of the Union address.
“We will see if he actually wants to work with us to accomplish things that we’re already for,” said McConnell.
McConnell, speaking at a Politico breakfast interview, said he hoped the president’s State of the Union address would focus on the country’s long-term problems of joblessness and debt without suggesting more government spending.
The Senate minority leader echoed concerns voiced by Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia on Monday that “growth alone” isn’t going to improve the economy, so “[we’re] going to have to take on the size and role of government.” McConnell said he was in the “skeptical category” as to whether the president would address such issues.
“Count how many times the president uses the word ‘investment,’” McConnell said. “Investment, as you know is a Latin term for ‘Washington spending.’” Obama is expected to paint any talk of deficit reduction in broad strokes calling for bipartisan unity, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Calling the 2010 midterms a referendum on Democrats rather than an “endorsement of Republicans,” McConnell reiterated his party’s promise to repeal the health-care law, which Republican have lambasted as “job killing” and “job-destroying.”
“I think we owe it to the American people to repeal it entirely,” said McConnell, who also said Republicans may try to dismantle it “piece by piece.”
“[During the past two years, Democrats] were busy trying to turn America into a Western European country,” said McConnell, who was clear on where his party stood even as he offered hopes that Democrats and Republicans could work together.
For McConnell, Obama needs to start addressing “long-term problems … now.”
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