Thursday’s State of the Union address was not without its unexpected moments, one of which involved an exchange between President Joe Biden and controversial Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.
Before the speech, Greene handed out pins with the name “Laken Riley” on them, a nursing student who was recently murdered by an illegal alien. As Biden began speaking, Greene shouted at him to mention Riley’s name. To the surprise of many, Biden responded and even appeared to confuse Riley with University of Southern California head football coach Lincoln Riley.
The mistake was a tragic one, as it brought attention to the ongoing border crisis and the lives lost at the hands of violent illegal immigrants. Biden defended his immigration policies, blaming House Republicans for not taking action, but also acknowledging the loss of Riley and saying, “to her parents I say, my heart goes out to you.”
In a video shared on social media, Greene can be seen sternly telling Biden to “say her name,” to which he responds, “I know how to say it.” However, he did not say it during his speech, but did mention her later on while mingling with others in the crowd at the U.S. Capitol.
Laken Riley’s tragic murder occurred on Feb 22nd while she was out jogging in her hometown of Athens, Georgia. The suspect, Jose Antonio Ibarra, had crossed into the country near El Paso in 2020 and was encountered by Border Patrol agents. Instead of facing deportation, he ended up in the sanctuary city of Athens and later brutally killed Riley.
Welp!
Biden holds up the Laken Riley pin that MTG gave him, then mispronounces her name.
"Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal. That’s right! But how many of the thousands of people are being killed by illegals!" pic.twitter.com/y2xTD5kW64
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) March 8, 2024
Greene’s pin, bearing Riley’s name, serves as a reminder of the innocent lives lost due to the failure of immigration policies. It also highlights the divide between Democrats and Republicans on the issue. While Biden blames the Republicans for not passing a border security bill, the opposition argues that his lenient policies have only worsened the crisis.
In his interaction with Greene, Biden also mentioned that he had lost children, although none of them were ever killed by illegal immigrants. This gaffe further fuelled the argument of how Biden’s personal experiences do not justify his handling of immigration policies and the safety of American citizens.
The tragic death of Laken Riley and the way it was brought up during the State of the Union address shed light on the current state of the nation and its immigration policies. The incident also highlights the need for bipartisan efforts in addressing the border crisis and ensuring the safety of the American people.
Joe Biden has no excuse.
I handed him a pin to remember Laken Riley.
He refused to SAY HER NAME! pic.twitter.com/jxv8uD6uqK
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene???????? (@RepMTG) March 8, 2024
Biden is no stranger to gaffes and this one, although unintentional, brought attention to a young life lost and the pain faced by her family. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of proper immigration policies and their impact on people’s lives. As for Laken Riley’s name, it will be remembered as a symbol of the ongoing debate on immigration and the lives lost in the process.
Biden’s always been a loser. The indoctrinated can’t grasp just how bad.