Touting the infrastructure projects under way across the country supported by funding in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), President Biden spotlighted a visit to the Sarasota Airport by the “new Republican Speaker of the House” Mike Johnson and fellow Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan. The two lawmakers toured the growing flight hub where a new terminal is being constructed.
Biden spotlights the visit to remind voters that both congressmen voted against the law that provided the $30 million for the construction. “Guess what?” Biden says. “Both the Speaker and the Congressman voted against the law, and spoke against the law, and now they’re down there taking credit for it being built.”
Adding a “Scranton Joe” rhetorical flourish, Biden reveals what his mother would say (“God love ’em”) and predicts what one of his “friends from back home” would say: “That’s real chutzpah.”
President Biden: The new Republican Speaker of the House just visited Florida to tour the construction of a new airport terminal that’s going to create thousands of jobs over time. He voted against the law, but now he’s down there taking credit for it being built pic.twitter.com/uvswdXp09F
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) November 29, 2023
The Speaker praised Buchanan, who shared a post with the quote: “It gives us hope when a state is well led and you have great leaders like Rep. Vern Buchanan and others. You have a great delegation of Republican members of Congress from Florida and they are leaders in every respect in the chamber.”
It’s no surprise both sides hope to claim credit for delivering the addition. Sarasota Magazine reports that the new “$73 million terminal will cover 75,300 square feet and include a four-lane security checkpoint and five boarding hold rooms with 970 seats.”
Reporting a price tag of $200 million for the complete renovation, BayNews9 quotes officials asserting the airport’s “passenger capacity will increase 5% each year eventually leading to a 62% increase in travelers” which “would bring the capacity to host up to 7 million people.”
.@SpeakerJohnson tours @SRQAirport.
— Jacob Ogles (@jacobogles) November 27, 2023
"It gives us hope when a state is well led and you have great leaders like Rep. @VernBuchanan and others. You have a great delegation of Republican members of Congress from Florida and they are leaders in every respect in the chamber."#FlaPol pic.twitter.com/2JUhj3e5CG
As with the post above, a tweeted photo (below) by Tampa Bay reporter Aaron Parseghian drew comments that included that relevant section of Biden’s speech.
House Speaker Mike Johnson alongside Rep. Vern Buchanan in Sarasota, FL. pic.twitter.com/8bwXR2XHWB
— Aaron Parseghian WTSP (@AaronParseghian) November 27, 2023
