Lee: President’s Speech “A Disappointing Reprise of His Divisive Campaign Rhetoric”

January 22, 2013

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Mike Lee released the following statement on the president’s second inaugural address:

"The beginning of a second term has historically been an opportunity for the president to signal a willingness to move past political divisions and unite all Americans for the common good,” said Senator Lee.  “As Ronald Reagan said in his second inaugural address, 'For all our problems, for all our differences, we are together as of old'.

"Unfortunately for the country, on a day when the president should speak with a unifying voice for all Americans, his inaugural speech was, instead, a disappointing reprise of his divisive campaign rhetoric. Rather than define us as a nation, he chose to divide us as a people. This is not the approach of a leader attempting to find solutions to problems but rather the tactics of a partisan trying to pick political fights. His vision for the next four years is clear: defend a broken system, ignore the fiscal crisis, and drive future generations further into debt."