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Videos: Response to Obama, Boehner speeches

by Geneva Sands - 07/26/11 12:50 PM ET

Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) and Chief Deputy Whip Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) spoke to C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” on Tuesday about the debt-ceiling negotiations. When asked about points of compromise between the Boehner and Reid plans, Burton and Schakowsky focused on differences instead.

Burton said he would most likely vote for House Speaker John Boehner’s plan. He told C-SPAN he is in favor of a two-step solution if it means that something will get done. They said a short-term solution would be better then no solution. He called for a balanced-budget amendment and railed against raising taxes.

“The president wants to get past the next election. We believe that politics is playing a large part of that.”

When asked about Sen. Harry’s Reid’s proposal, Schakowsky said she would prefer a plan that asked billionaires and millionaires to pay more.

“Here’s the good thing about Harry Reid’s plan … it doesn’t cut Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, that so many American families depend on, and it does raise that debt-ceiling, avoiding a default crisis for a reasonable amount of time.”

Click here to watch the full Obama and Boehner speeches.

Obama | Boehner

Gene Sperling, National Economic Council director and assistant to the president, spoke this morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” He reiterated Obama’s position that a short-term debt-ceiling increase is unacceptable.

Sperling called for compromise to break the current stalemate and refused to say if the president would veto the Boehner proposal. He said it was “unthinkable” lawmakers would put the country at risk of default.

“It does not help our economy right now to have a constant threat that we might go into default or that somehow that default to the United States of America has somehow become a routine and acceptable bargaining chip in budget negotiations.”

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Click here to watch the full Obama and Boehner speeches.

Obama | Boehner

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) responded Monday night to the dueling debt speeches on CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight.” He expressed concern about the possibility of a credit-rating downgrade and default on the country’s debt.

Schumer said the Reid plan is a compromise that gives Republicans what they have asked for, such as zero revenue increases and spending cuts equal to debt-ceiling increases. He accused Republicans of “not moving one dime” on the issue of raising taxes, and called on Boehner to lead Republicans rather than follow the extreme wing of his party.

“The president put the blame squarely on the shoulders of where it belongs. A block of extreme right Republicans, who refuse to compromise at all. And it’s leading to disaster,” he warned.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) slammed both the Reid and Boehner plans on Fox’s “On The Record” with Greta Van Susteren Monday, calling Reid’s plan a decoy designed to drive people to Boehner’s proposal. He said the two plans are essentially the same thing and neither adequately addresses a balanced-budget amendment. DeMint said the proposals are political solutions that do not solve the country’s long-term debt problem.

“It’s hard for me to listen to the President because he has been disingenuous through this whole process … he needs a crisis to try to blame Republicans for the economy that he has made much, much worse.”

Click here to watch the full Obama and Boehner speeches.

Obama | Boehner

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said congressional Republicans don’t view Reid’s approach as a sincere effort to reform spending and reduce the deficit. He called the savings in Reid’s plan “phony” and said it was missing reform to mandatory spending programs.

However, Thune told Fox News Monday he was optimistic a deal would be reached, saying he believes the two sides are actually not that far apart.

“I thought what was striking about the President’s speech tonight was what he didn’t say. He didn’t say I will veto a short-term extension of the debt-limit.”

Click here to watch the full Obama and Boehner speeches.

Obama | Boehner

Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) spoke at a press conference with Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and a group of House and Senate Republicans on Tuesday afternoon. They called for passage of legislation that would require payments for debt service, Social Security and the military to be prioritized if the debt limit is reached.

Garrett touted the “cut, cap and balance” plan that was passed last week in the House. He acknowledged that since the proposal did not pass in the Senate, a back-up bill is needed. He promoted the proposed legislation, saying it will protect seniors and avoid default.

“It was somewhat disconcerting to hear the President last night speak primarily as to what he is opposed to instead of what he was in favor of with just days to go now to the deadline of Aug. 2.”