Sen. Katie Britt delivers Republican rebuttal to State of the Union address

♪ ♪

>> Norah: WELCOME BACK TO

"CBS NEWS" COVERAGE OF

PRESIDENT BIDEN STATE OF THE

UNION.

IT'S NOW TIME FO

>>> WELCOME BACK TO CBS NEWS

COVERAGE.

WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAR FROM THE

YOUNGEST REPUBLICAN WOMAN EVER

ELECTED TO THE SENATE.

KATIE BRITT FROM ALABAMA.

MORE MORE ON WHY THE PARTY

CHOSE HER.

LET'S GO TO OUR CORRESPONDENT,

NIKOLE KILLION.

>> KATIE BRITT IS CONSIDERED A

RISING STAR WITHIN THE

REPUBLICAN PARTY.

AND HER NAME HAS BEEN TOSSED

AROUND AS A POTENTIAL

PRESIDENTIAL PICK.

SHE IS THE YOUNGEST REPUBLICAN

WOMAN IN THE SCIENT.

THE FIRST FEMALE SENATOR.

SHE HAS TWO SCHOOL-AGED

CHILDREN.

THAT IS SOMETHING SHE IS LIKELY

TO LEAN INTO.

CALLING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

THE PARTY OF PARENTS AND

WORKING FAMILIES.

SHE IS ALSO GOING TO DRAW A

VERY SHARP CONTRAST, WITH

PRESIDENT BIDEN, DEPICTING HIM

AS TOO OLD, OUT OF PACE, OUT OF

TOUCH.

FACT, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS, SHE

WILL SAY, OUR COMMANDER IN

CHIEF IS NOT IN COMMAND AND

CALLED HIM A DITHERING AND

DIMINISHED LEADER.

YOU CAN ALSO EXPECT SHE'LL

TOUCH ON TALKING POINTS FROM

CRIME TO THE BORDER, FOREIGN

POLICY.

SHE CONSIDERS THIS SPEECH A

HUGE HONOR.

>> NIKOLE KILLION ON CAPITOL

HILL.

HERE NOW, SENATOR KATIE BRITT.

>> GOOD EVENING, AMERICA.

MY NAME IS KATIE BRITT.

AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING

THE GREAT PEOPLE OF ALABAMA AND

THE UNITED STATES SENATE.

HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT THE JOB

THAT MATTERS MOST.

I AM A PROUD WIFE AND MOM OF

TWO SCHOOL-AGED KIDS.

MY DAUGHTER BENNETT AND MY SON

RIDGEWAY, ARE WHY II RAN FOR

THE SENATE.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT THFUTURE.

AND THE FUTURE OF CHILDREN IN

EVERY CORNER OF OUR NATION.

AND THAT'S WHY I INVITED YOU

INTO OUR HOME TONIGHT.

LIKE SO MANY FAMILIES ACROSS

AMERICA, MY HUSBAND RUSTY AND I

JUST WATCHED PRESIDENT BIDEN'S

STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS FROM

OUR LIVING ROOM.

AND WHAT WE SAW WAS THE

PERFORMANCE OF A PERMANENT

POLITICIAN, WHO HAS ACTUALLY

BEEN IN OFFICE FOR LONGER THAN

I'VE BEEN ALONG.

ONE THING WAS QUITE CLEAR,

THOUGH.

PRESIDENT BIDEN JUST DOESN'T

GET IT.

HE'S OUT OF TOUCH.

UNDER HIS ADMINISTRATION, WE'RE

WORSE OFF.

OUR COMMUNITIES ARE LESS SAFE,

ASK OUR COUNTRY IS LESS SECURE.

>> I JUST WISH HE UNDERSTOOD

WHAT REALLY FAMILIES ARE FACING

AROUND TABLES LIKE THIS ONE.

THIS IS WHERE WE MAKE HARD

DECISIONS.

IT'S WHERE WE SHARE THE GOOD,

THE BAD AND THE UGLY OF OUR

DAYS.

IT'S WHERE WE LAUGH TOGETHER,

AND IT'S WHERE WE HOLD EACH

OTHER'S HANDS AND PRAY FOR

GOD'S GUIDANCE.

AND MANY NIGHTS, TO BE HONEST,

IT'S WHERE WESLEY AND I WORRY.

I KNOW WE'RE NOT ALONE.

AND SO TONIGHT, THE AMERICAN

FAMILY NEEDS TO HAVE A TOUGH

CONVERSATION.

BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, WE'RE ALL

WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR

NATION.

THE COUNTRY WE KNOW AND LOVE

SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING AWAY.

AND IT FEELS LIKE THE NEXT

GENERATION WILL HAVE FEWER

OPPORTUNITIES AND LESS FREEDOM

THAN WE HAD.

I WORRY MY OWN CHILDREN WILL

NOT GET TO LIVE THEIR AMERICAN

DREAM.

MY AMERICAN DREAM ALLOWED ME,

THE DAUGHTER OF TWO SMALL

BUSINESS OWNERS FROM RURAL

ENTERPRISE, ALABAMA, TO BE

ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES

SENATE AT THE AGE OF 40.

GROWING UP, SWEEPING THE FLOOR

AT MY DAD'S HARDWARE STORE, AND

CLEANING THE BATHROOM AT MY

MOM'S DANCE STUDIO, I NEVER

COULD HAVE IMAGINED WHAT MY

STORY WOULD ENTAIL.

TO THINK WHAT THE AMERICAN

DREAM CAN DO.

ACROSS ONE GENERATION, IN JUST

ONE LIFETIME.

IT'S TRULY BREATHTAKING.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THE AMERICAN

DREAM HAS TURNED INTO A

NIGHTMARE FOR SO MANY FAMILIES.

THE TRUE, UNVARNISHED STATE OF

OUR UNION, BEGINS AND ENDS WITH

THIS OUR FAMILIES ARE HURTING.

OUR COUNTRY CAN DO BETTER.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK ANY

FURTHER THAN THE CRISIS AT OUR

SOUTHERN BORDER TO SEE IT.

PRESIDENT BIDEN INHERITED THE

MOST SECURE BORDER OF ALL TIME.

BUT MINUTES AFTER TAKING

OFFICE, HE SUSPENDED ALL

DEPORTATIONS.

HE HALTED CONSTRUCTION OF THE

BORDER WALL, AND HE ANNOUNCED A

PLAN TO GIVE AMNESTY TO

MILLIONS.

WE KNOW THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN

DIDN'T JUST CREATE THIS BORDER

CRISIS.

HE INVITED IT.

WITH 94 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS IN

HIS FIRST 100 DAYS.

>> BEFORE OFFICE, I TOOK A

DIFFERENT APPROACH.

I TRAVELED TO THE DEL RIO

SECTOR OF TEXAS.

THAT'S WHERE I SPOKE TO A WOMAN

WHO SHARED HER STORY WITH ME.

SHE HAD BEEN SEX-TRAFFICKED BY

THE CARTELS, STARTING AT THE

AGE OF 12.

SHE TOLD ME NOT JUST THAT SHE

WAS RAPED EVERY DAY BUT HOW

MANY TIMES A DAY SHE WAS RAPED.

THE CARTELS PUT HER ON A

MATTRESS IN A SHOEBOX OF A

ROOM.

AND THEY SENT MEN THROUGH THAT

DOOR, OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR

HOURS AND HOURS ON END.

WE WOULDN'T BE OKAY WITH THIS

HAPPENING IN A THIRD WORLD

COUNTRY.

THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF

AMERICA, AND IT IS PAST TIME,

IN MY OPINION, THAT WE START

ACTING LIKE IT.

PRESIDENT BIDEN'S BORDER

POLICIES ARE A DISGRACE.

THIS CRISIS IS DESPICABLE.

AND THE TRUTH IS, IT IS ALMOST

ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE.

FROM FENTANYL POISONINGS TO

HORRIFIC MURDERS, THERE ARE

EMPTY CHAIRS TONIGHT AT KITCHEN

TABLES JUST LIKE THIS ONE.

BECAUSE OF PRESIDENT BIDEN'S

SENSELESS BORDER POLICIES.

JUST THINK ABOUT LAKEN RILEY.

IN MY NEIGHBORING STATE OF

GEORGIA, THIS BEAUTIFUL 22-YEAR-

OLD NURSING STUDENT WENT OUT ON

A JOG ONE MORNING.

BUT SHE NEVER GOT THE

OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN HOME.

SHE WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED BY

ONE OF THE MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL

BORDER CROSSERS PRESIDENT BIDEN

CHOSE TO RELEASE INTO OUR

HOMELAND.

YOU ALL, AS A MOM, I CAN'T QUIT

THINKING ABOUT THIS.

I MEAN, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MY

DAUGHTER.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN YOURS.

AND TONIGHT, PRESIDENT BIDEN

FINALLY SAID HER NAME.

BUT HE REFUSED TO TAKE

RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS OWN

ACTIONS.

MR. PRESIDENT, ENOUGH IS

ENOUGH.

INNOCENT AMERICANS ARE DYING,

AND YOU ONLY HAVE YOURSELF TO

BLAME.

FULFILL YOUR OATH OF OFFICE.

REVERSE YOUR POLICIES, END THIS

CRISIS AND STOP THE SUFFERING.

SADLY, WE KNOW THAT PRESIDENT

BIDEN'S FAILURES DON'T STOP

THERE.

HIS RECKLESS SPENDING DUG OUR

ECONOMY INTO A HOLE AND SENT

THE COST OF LIVING THROUGH THE

ROOF.

WE HAVE THE WORST INFLATION IN

40 YEARS AND THE HIGHEST CREDIT

CARD DEBT IN OUR NATION'S

HISTORY.

LET THAT SINK IN.

HARD-WORKING FAMILIES ARE

STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET

TODAY.

AND WITH SOARING MORTGAGE RATES

AND SKY-HIGH CHILD CARE COSTS,

THEY'RE ALSO STRUGGLING TO HAVE

A PLAN FOR TOMORROW.

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE

SCRAPING BY, WHILE PRESIDENT

BIDEN PROUDLY PROCLAIMS THAT

BIDENOMICS IS WORKING.

GOODNESS, YOU ALL, BLESS HIS

HEART.

WE KNOW BETTER.

I'LL NEVER FORGET STOPPING AT A

GAS STATION IN SHELTON COUNTY

ONE EVENING.

THE GENTLEMAN WORKING THE

COUNTER TOLD ME THAT AFTER

RETIRING, HE HAD TO PICK UP A

JOB IN HIS 70s, SO THAT HE

DIDN'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN

GOING HUNGRY OR GOING WITHOUT

HIS MEDICATION.

HE SAID I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT.

I DID EVERYTHING I WAS TOLD TO

DO.

I WORKED HARD.

I SAVED.

I WAS RESPONSIBLE.

HE'S NOT ALONE.

I HEAR SIMILAR CONCERNS FROM

FELLOW PARENTS.

WHETHER I AM WALKING WITH MY

FRIENDS, OR WHETHER I'M AT MY

KIDS' GAMES.

BUT LET'S BE HONEST, IT'S BEEN

A MINUTE SINCE JOE BIDEN PUMPED

GAS, RAN A CARPOOL OR EVEN

PUSHED A GROCERY CART.

MEANWHILE, THE REST OF US SEE

OUR DOLLAR, AND WE KNOW IT

DOESN'T GO AS FAR.

WE SEE IT EVERY DAY.

AND DESPITE WHAT HE TELLS YOU,

OUR COMMUNITIES ARE NOT SAFER.

FOR YEARS, THE LEFT HAS TODDLED

CRIMINALS AND DEFUNDED THE

POLICE.

ALL WHILE LETTING REPEAT

OFFENDERS WALK FREE.

THE RESULT IS TRAGIC.

BUT FORESEEABLE.

FROM OUR SMALL TOWNS TO

AMERICA'S MOST ICONIC CITY

STREETS, LIFE IS GETTING MORE

AND MORE DANGEROUS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, PRESIDENT

BIDEN'S WEAKNESS ISN'T JUST

HURTING FAMILIES HERE AT HOME.

HE IS MAKING US A PUNCHLINE ON

THE WORLD STAGE.

LOOK.

WHERE I'M FROM, YOUR WORD IS

YOUR BOND.

BUT FOR THREE YEARS, THE

PRESIDENT HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT

AMERICA'S WORD DOESN'T MEAN

WHAT IT USED TO.

FROM ABANDONING OUR ALLIES IN

HIS DISASTROUS WITHDRAWAL FROM

AFGHANISTAN TO DESPERATELY

PUSHING ANOTHER DANGEROUS DEAL

WITH IRAN.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS FAILED

WE'VE BECOME A NATION IN

RETREAT.

AND THE ENEMIES OF FREEDOM,

THEY SEE AN OPPORTUNITY PUTIN'S

BRUTAL AGGRESSION IN EUROPE HAS

PUT OUR ALLIES ON THE BRINK.

IRAN'S TERRORIST PROXIES HAVE

SLAUGHTERED ISRAELI JEWS AND

AMERICAN CITIZENS.

THEY'VE TARGETED COMMERCIAL

SHIPPING.

AND THEY'VE ATTACKED OUR TROOPS

NEARLY 200 TIMES SINCE OCTOBER.

KILLING THREE U.S. SOLDIERS AND

TWO NAVY SEALS.

MEANWHILE, THE CHINESE

COMMUNIST PARTY IS UNDERCUTTING

AMERICA'S WORKERS.

CHINA IS BUYING UP OUR

FARMLAND, SPYING ON OUR

MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AND

SPREADING PROPAGANDA THROUGH

THE LIKES OF TIKTOK.

YOU SEE, THE CCP KNOWS THAT IF

IT CONQUERS THE MINDS OF OUR

NEXT GENERATION, IT CONQUERS

AMERICA.

AND WHAT DOES PRESIDENT BIDEN

DO?

WELL, HE BANS TIKTOK FOR

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.

BUT CREATES AN ACCOUNT FOR HIS

OWN CAMPAIGN.

YOU ALL, YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS

STUFF UP.

LOOK.

WE ALL RECALL WHEN PRESIDENTS

FACED NATIONAL SECURITY THREATS

WITH STRENGTH AND RESOLVE.

THAT SEEMS LIKE ANCIENT

HISTORY.

RIGHT NOW, OUR COMMANDER-IN-

CHIEF IS NOT IN COMMAND.

THE FREE WORLD DESERVES BETTER

THAN A DITHERING AND DIMINISHED

LEADER.

AMERICA DESERVES LEADERS WHO

RECOGNIZE THAT SECURE BORDERS,

STABLE PRICES, SAFE STREETS,

AND A STRONG DEFENSE ARE

ACTUALLY THE CORNERSTONES OF A

GREAT NATION.

JUST ASK YOURSELF ARE YOU

BETTER OFF NOW THAN YOU WERE

THREE YEARS AGO?

THERE'S NO DOUBT, WE'RE AT A

KROáRSZ ROADS.

AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS

WAY.

WE ALL FEEL IT.

BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS.

WE, THE PEOPLE, ARE STILL IN

THE DRIVER'S SEAT.

WE GET TO DECIDE WHETHER OUR

FUTURE WILL GROW BRIGHTER OR

WHETHER WE'LL SETTLE FOR AN

AMERICA IN DECLINE.

WELL, I KNOW WHICH CHOICE OUR

CHILDREN DESERVE.

AND I KNOW THE CHOICE THE

REPUBLICAN PARTY IS FIGHTING

FOR.

WE ARE THE PARTY OF HARD-

WORKING PARENTS AND FAMILIES.

AND WE WANT TO GIVE YOU AND

YOUR CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITIES

TO THRIVE.

AND WE WANT FAMILIES TO GROW.

IT'S WHY WE STRONGLY SUPPORT

CONTINUED NATIONWIDE ACCESS TO

INVITRO FERTILIZATION.

WE WANT TO HELP LOVING MOMS AND

DADS BRING PRECIOUS LIFE INTO

THIS WORLD.

WESLEY AND I BELIEVE THERE IS

NO GREATER BLESSING IN LIFE

THAN OUR CHILDREN.

AND THAT'S WHY TONIGHT, I WANT

TO MAKE A DIRECT APPEAL TO THE

PARENTS OUT THERE.

AND IN PARTICULAR, TO MY FELLOW

MOMS, MANY OF WHOM I KNOW WILL

BE UP TOSSING AND TURNING AT

2:00 A.M., WONDERING HOW YOU'RE

GOING TO BE IN THREE PLACES AT

ONCE AND THEN SOMEHOW STILL GET

DINNER ON THE TABLE.

FIRST OF ALL, WE SEE YOU.

WE HEAR YOU.

AND WE STAND WITH YOU.

I KNOW YOU'RE FRUSTRATED.

I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY

DISGUSTED BY MOST OF WHAT YOU

SEE GOING ON IN WASHINGTON.

AND I'LL BE REALLY HONEST WITH

YOU.

YOU'RE NOT WRONG FOR FEELING

THAT WAY.

LOOK.

I GET IT.

THE TASK IN FRONT OF US ISN'T

AN EASY ONE.

BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU ONE

THING.

IT IS WORTH IT.

SO I AM ASKING YOU, FOR THE

SAKE OF YOUR KIDS CAN YOUR

GRANDKIDS.

GET INTO THE ARENA.

>> EVERY GENERATION HAS BEEN

CALLED TO DO HARD THINGS.

AMERICAN GREATNESS RESTS IN THE

FACT THAT WE ALWAYS ANSWER THAT

CALL.

IT'S WHO WE ARE.

NEVER FORGET, WE ARE STEEPED IN

THE BLOOD OF PATRIOTS WHO

OVERTHROUGH THE MOST POWERFUL

EMPIRE IN THE WORLD.

WE WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF

PIONEERS WHO TAMED THE WILD.

WE NOW CARRY FORWARD THE SAME

FLAME OF FREEDOM AS THE

LIBERATORS OF AN OPPRESSED

EUROPE.

WE CONTINUE TO DRAW COURAGE,

FROM THOSE WHO BENT THE MORAL

ARC OF THE UNIVERSE.

AND WHEN WE GAZE UPON THE

HEAVENS, NEVER FORGET THAT OUR

DNA CONTAINS THE SAME INGENUITY

THAT PUT MAN ON THE MOON.

AMERICA HAS BEEN TESTED BEFORE.

AND EVERY SINGLE TIME, WE'VE

EMERGED UNBOUND AND UNBROKEN.

OUR HISTORY HAS BEEN WRITTEN

WITH THE GRIT OF MEN AND WOMEN

WHO GOT KNOCKED DOWN.

BUT WE KNOW THEIR STORIES.

BECAUSE THEY DID NOT STAY DOWN.

WE ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY STOOD

BACK UP.

SO NOW IT'S OUR TURN.

OUR MOMENT, TO STAND UP AND

PROVE OURSELVES WORTHY OF

PROTECTING THE AMERICAN DREAM.

TOGETHER, WE CAN REAWAKEN THE

HEROIC SPIRIT OF THE GREAT

NATION.

BECAUSE AMERICA, WE DON'T JUST

HAVE A RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY.

WE TAKE DESTINY'S HAND, AND WE

LEAD IT.

OUR FUTURE STARTS AROUND

KITCHEN TABLES JUST LIKE THIS.

WITH MOMS AND DADS, JUST LIKE

YOU.

AND YOU ARE WHY I BELIEVE, WITH

EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING, THAT

DESPITE THE CURRENT STATE OF

OUR UNION, OUR BEST DAYS ARE

STILL AHEAD.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND MAY GOD

CONTINUE TO BLESS THESE UNITED

STATES OF AMERICA.

>> AND THAT WAS REPUBLICAN

SENATOR KATIE BRITT OF ALABAMA,

AT HOME IN HER KITCHEN, REALLY

DELIVERING A MESSAGE OF FEAR

AND CONCERN OUT THERE THAT SHE

SAYS VOTERS HAVE.

AT THE END, TRYING TO END ON A

HOPEFUL NOTE.

>> SHE WAS TAPPING INTO THE

ANXIETIES PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT

CRIME ASK SAFETY, THE ECONOMY

AND THE BORDER.

SHE REALLY DIDN'T HOLD BACK.

BUT WHAT WAS INTERESTING, SHE

SAID, NEVER FORGET, WE'RE

STEEPED IN THE BLOOD OF THE

PATRIOTS WHO OVERTHREW THE MOST

POWERFUL EMPIRE IN THE WORLD.

AND RIGHT AFTER THAT, SHE

PIVOTED AND SAID, "BEST DAYS

ARE STILL AHEAD."

SHE DREW THAT THROUGH THE

SPEECH.

>> SHE DID NOT MENTION DONALD

TRUMP AT ALL.

>> SHE DIDN'T MENTION THE

LEADER OF HER PARTY.

SHE MENTIONED JOE BIDEN.

WHAT SHE REALLY REPRESENTS FOR

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS THE

WOMEN, THE YOUNGER VOTERS,

PERHAPS MORE MODERATE WING OF

THE PARTY, THAT THEY NEED TO

BRING BACK INTO THE FOLD, IF

DONALD TRUMP IS GOING TO HAVE

ANY CHANCE OF BEING VICTORIOUS

IN OCTOBER.

>> AND SHE TALKED ABOUT THE

POSITIONS TO CODIFY IVF, WHICH

TWO WEEKS AGO, WERE JUST SHUT

DOWN BY THE COURTS THERE.

SHE WAS CHOSEN.

SHE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, HELPED

EXPLAIN IVF TO SOME OF HER

REPUBLICAN SENATORS IN THE WAKE

OF THAT.

SHE'S KNOWN FOR BEING A

SUBSTANTIVE PERSON ON THE

ISSUES.

>> WHICH IS NEEDED.

I UNDERSTAND MIKE JOHNSON

CALLED IT A NEW TECHNOLOGY.

INE THOUGH IT HAS BEEN AROUND

FOR DECADES.

SHE IS ALSO THE THIRD WOMAN WHO

HAS BEEN CHOSEN IN A ROW TO

RESPOND TO THE PRESIDENT.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CHOOSING

WOMEN TO RESPOND TO THE

PRESIDENT WOMEN ARE THE

MAJORITY VOTERS OF AMERICA.

AND THERE IS STILL A GENDER

GAP.

>> THERE IS A GENDER GAP.

AND MANY SAY PRIVATELY, THEY

WOULD LOVE FOR KATIE BRIT TO BE

THE FACE OF THE PARTY.

BUZZ PRAOEUFTZ LEIS AND

PUBLICLY, REPUBLICANS

ACKNOWLEDGE, THE FACE OF THE

PARTY IS DONALD TRUMP.

SOMEONE WHO IS DEFENDING HIS

CONDUCT ON JANUARY 6th.

AND IF JUST A FEW WEEKS IS

GOING TO BE SITTING IN A

COURTROOM IN NEW YORK, ABOUT

CRIMINAL HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS TO

A PORN STAR.

THAT IS THE LIKELY NOMINEE.

KATIE BRITT IS SOMEONE TH