BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — As Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) prepares to meet with President Joe Biden this week, new poll numbers from NBC News are shedding light on the public’s view of Republican priorities and McCarthy himself.

A new poll by NBC News released Sunday, shows 54% of respondents say congressional Republicans will be too inflexible in working with Biden compared to 45% who say Biden will be too inflexible with the GOP.

It comes as Biden and McCarthy are set to meet on Wednesday, where the debt limit is expected to be a key topic. McCarthy wants an agreement to cut government spending before a debt limit increase, while the White House says the debt ceiling needs to be raised without conditions.

This Sunday on CBS, McCarthy emphasized cutting social security and Medicare programs was off the table but were less resolved when it came to defense spending.

“I want to make sure we’re protected in our defense spending, but I want to make sure it’s effective and efficient. I want to look at every single dollar we’re spending, no matter where it’s being spent. I want to eliminate waste wherever it is,” McCarthy told “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan.

The poll conducted by NBC News found 31% of respondents said Congress should cut the defense budget, while 65% said Congress should not.

The poll also asked respondents about their perception of McCarthy. In Jan. 2023, 5% of respondents said they have a very positive view of McCarthy compared to 24% who said they have a very negative view.

The NBC numbers showed the public’s familiarity with McCarthy increased over the last three months. The percentage of respondents who were not sure who McCarthy was or had no opinion of him decreased by 14% from Nov. 2022 to Jan. 2023.

It comes as California Democratic Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) on CNN this weekend, called McCarthy’s decision not to place them on the House Intelligence Committee political, using a new tag line.

“There is nothing there. I did what every American should have. This is some Bakersfield BS,” Swalwell said.

“This is, as my colleague says, Bakersfield BS,” Schiff said when asked about McCarthy pledging to kick another Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) off the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Removing Omar from this committee would require a majority of votes in the full House. McCarthy can unilaterally keep members off the Intelligence Committee.

McCarthy rejected Swalwell from the committee for his relationship with a Chinese spy, whom Swalwell says he cut ties with when he was informed of her background.

McCarthy says Schiff used his position on the Intelligence Committee to mislead Americans on the connection between former President Donald Trump and Russia.