Harry Reid Cites John McCain in Statement Urging Compromise


Republican “hobbits” in the House wouldn’t listen to John McCain but Harry Reid quoted him today.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid delivered these remarks morning on the debt crisis facing the country. Reid has still not held a vote on his plan to increase the debt limit and bring down the debt. He included quotes from John McCain’s hobbit speech in his statement.
Via the National Journal:

M. President, although the House of Representatives has not yet voted on Speaker Boehner’s plan, it is clear that plan flawed.

That is why they have struggled for days to pass this flawed legislation without a single Democrat. They have plowed forward, looking only to Republicans.

But as with the battle to pass a Continuing Resolution and keep our government open for business a few months ago, the Republican leadership was unable to the votes with only Republicans. Speaker Boehner had to look to Democrats.

That’s how it’s supposed to work – Democrats and Republicans working together.

A Band-Aid approach to a world crisis is an embarrassment to Congress, to this country and to the world.

United Senate Democrats – all 53 of us – have informed the Speaker that his legislation was doomed in the Senate, because we would not vote for a short-term extension of the debt ceiling. It would put our great nation on the path to another default extravaganza in a few weeks…

…I have invited Sen. McConnell to sit down with me, and to negotiate in good faith knowing the clock is running down. I hope will accept my offer.

I know the Senate compromise bill Democrats have offered is not perfect in Republican’ eyes. Nor is it perfect for Democrats.

But together, we must make it work for all of us. It is the only option.

The settlement on the table will never give either party everything it wants. But it already meets the Republicans’ demands.

John McCain, the Republican senior senator from Arizona and President Obama’s opponent in the last presidential election, has asked his party to compromise.

It “is not fair to the American people, to hold out and say we won’t agree to raising the debt limit,” he said. He called the radical Republican approach “unfair” and “bizarro.”

“It’s time we listened to the markets,” he said. “It’s time we listened to the American people and sit down and seriously negotiate.”

And former Senator Fred Thompson, a Republican, asked members of his own party to come to their senses.

“I respectfully suggest that you rake in your chips [and] stuff them in your pockets,” Thompson urged Republicans.

I hope my friend, Sen. McConnell, will come to me by the end of the day and indicate what constructive ideas he has to move the process along.

My door is open. I will listen to any idea to get this done in a way that prevents a default and a dangerous downgrade to America’s credit rating…

Once again, John McCain gave the democrats plenty of ammo to lob back at Republicans.

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