Senate

Reid: McConnell should go to ‘his little bathroom’ and look in the mirror

by Jordain Carney - 06/11/15 11:07 AM ET

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) accused Democrats Thursday of holding up an annual defense bill, saying senators don’t need a “summer of filibusters.”

“The defense bill is another measure that should be sailing to passing with strong bipartisan support. It does so almost every year,” the Republican leader said from the Senate floor. “But Democratic leaders now seem to have a different idea.”

{mosads}Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) quickly fired back, saying McConnell should go to his bathroom and look in the mirror.

“I would suggest he walk into his office, his little bathroom there, look in the mirror, because over that mirror, he should be able to see the words ‘hypocrisy and cynicism,’ ” Reid said. “We have tried very, very hard since the first of the year to cooperate with Republicans.”

The two sides are fighting over amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has drawn a veto threat from the White House. Republicans say that Democrats are currently blocking them for having votes on amendments.

“What America needs right now is not a summer of filibusters, but a season of bipartisan solutions,” McConnell said.

Democrats have warned that the current battle over the policy bill is a precursor for a larger battle over government spending. Democratic leadership has threatened to block a defense spending bill in an attempt to pressure Republicans to make a deal on rolling back sequestration budget caps.

McConnell added that Democrats “don’t seem the least bit bothered by the dire national security implications of what they’re doing. They packed the car for their filibuster vacation and they’re ready to hit the road.”

Tags Harry Reid Mitch McConnell