Johnson was unapologetic.
“If Democrats in the Senate or the House or anyone else … want to argue that hiring more IRS agents is more important than standing with Israel in this moment, I’m ready to have that debate,” Johnson, R-La., said at the Capitol in his first formal news conference as speaker. “I did not attach that for political purposes, OK?”
Still, White House officials continue to approach him with a sense of curiosity, despite their early skepticism. They even found some reasons for encouragement, primarily Johnson’s surprisingly warm remarks about the need to aid Ukraine, considering his past votes opposing the funding.
During the drawn-out speakership spectacle, the White House avoided any public involvement. Once Johnson was formally elected, administration officials, like much of Washington and the political world, scrambled to learn about Johnson, whose interactions with the White House during the Biden presidency have been essentially nonexistent.
That means the White House’s get-to-know-you process is continuing.
Jeff Zients, the White House chief of staff, and presidential counselor Steve Ricchetti spoke cordially with Johnson as Biden met with him for the first time. When the White House invited Johnson to the Situation Room, officials made sure he knew he could bring a national security aide into the classified session — a prerogative that he gets as speaker of the House.
Biden “wants to work in good faith with whoever they … chose to be speaker — it happens to be Speaker Johnson — and he wants to deliver for the American people,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said shortly after Johnson’s elevation to the speakership. “That is something that the president has said himself over the last couple of weeks.”
A low-profile conservative who was first elected to Congress in 2016, Johnson, 51, had come into the post with scant political leadership experience and was never known for bipartisan bona fides. That could not be a starker contrast with Biden, 80, a decadeslong veteran of Washington who puts a high value on personal relationships and bipartisanship.
As Johnson began his improbable rise to the top of the House Republican ranks, the White House also privately took note of his hard-right positions and his similarities, at least in substance, to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the House Judiciary Committee chairman and one of the administration’s chief antagonists who is leading an impeachment inquiry into Biden.
Johnson had taken a proactive role in former President Donald Trump’s efforts to remain in office despite losing to Democrat Biden in 2020, rallying other lawmakers to sign a letter of support for an unsuccessful case by several states to throw out some election results. Before entering politics, Johnson was a lawyer specializing in constitutional issues.
When Johnson outlined his rationale for his speaker candidacy last month, he argued that “the president is clearly incapable of leading and the Senate is unwilling.” Even though Johnson described his meeting with Biden as cordial, the speaker said in a Fox News interview that he noticed a cognitive decline.
Biden has spoken little publicly about Johnson himself, but he has continued to use the House GOP’s speakership mess as he makes his case to remain in office and not put Trump back in the White House.
“Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy this democracy,” Biden said at a fundraiser in Minneapolis this past week. “And while the MAGA Republicans in the House have been fighting among themselves, struggling to elect a speaker, trying to shut down the government, sowing seeds of destruction at every turn, Kamala and I are always going to defend, protect, and fight for that democracy,” he said, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Johnson’s allies say his direct demeanor will serve him well as a counterpoint to the administration.
“He’s a straight shooter, so he’s not going to play games with them. They’ll know what he’s thinking,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who knows Johnson well and is one of the handful of GOP lawmakers who have worked closely with the Biden White House. “Mike will have his eyes wide open. He’s not naïve.”
Other Republicans have said Johnson’s biggest strength is that he has yet to burn bridges with anyone on either side of the aisle. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., said the same qualities that helped Johnson get elected speaker are what will help him negotiate with the president.
“It will be hard for me because I’m stubborn, you understand and I have rough edges,” Higgins said of Johnson’s contrasting and smoother style. “But Mike is such a, a kind and compassionate and polite gentleman.”
___
Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.
