Carville on GOP heckling of Biden: ‘You saw real white trash on display’

Democratic strategist James Carville said some Republicans’ heckling of President Biden during the State of the Union address on Tuesday demonstrated “white trashdom” in the GOP. 

“I tell people I have the equivalent of a Ph.D. in white trashology, and you saw real white trash on display,” Carville told MSNBC’s Ari Melber on “The Beat” in an interview on Wednesday. 

Carville said he believes Biden had a “great night” when he gave the address on Tuesday, but the “level of white trashdom in the Republican Party is just staggering.” 

Biden was heckled by some Republicans on multiple occasions as he gave his speech, notably including when he accused some in the GOP of wanting to “sunset” Social Security and Medicare.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) shouted “liar” at Biden, while others yelled “no” as the president spoke. 

Some Republicans have floated potential reforms to the entitlement programs. Biden was apparently referring to a plan from Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) from last year calling for all federal legislation to sunset after five years, which would require Congress to renew the programs at those intervals. But House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has said any cuts to Social Security and Medicare are “off the table” in negotiations over raising the debt limit. 

Carville said Republicans have a well-documented “lust” for cutting Social Security and Medicare, noting instances like President George W. Bush’s failed attempt to move toward privatizing Social Security in 2005. 

“We know that that is their objective,” Carville said. 

Biden responded to the GOP heckling over his comments about Social Security and Medicare with a smile and said, “So folks, as we all apparently agree, Social Security and Medicare are off the books now, right? All right. We got unanimity.” 

Carville said Biden is “1,000 percent right” on the issue.