White House, Boehner spokesmen bicker over Twitter

by Alicia M. Cohn - 12/18/12 7:58 PM ET

{mosads}The White House earlier in the day rejected House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) latest offer to avoid the tax rate deadlines at the end of the year. His offer would permanently extend tax rates on income below $1 million but allow rates to rise for people making more. Boehner called it “Plan B” in case a solution cannot be reached before current rates expire.

Boehner’s spokesman Brendan Buck interpreted the rejection as the White House asserting: “We are opposed to having back-up plans to ensure taxes don’t go up on every American.”

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney fired back at Buck in a tweet from his official account: ” What bunk.”

According to Carney in a previous statement, Boehner’s offer would never pass the Senate, and does not pass the White House demand for a “balanced” plan.

Buck did not let the bickering go any further on Twitter, instead simply greeting Carney by name in response to his tweet.

In a previous response to the White House, Buck argued that the White House “is threatening every American family with higher taxes” by refusing Boehner’s concession to raising taxes on millionaires.

.@brendan_buck What bunk. Senate passed a plan months ago extending tax cuts to 98%. POTUS supports. Speaker won’t let it come to a vote.

— Jay Carney (EOP) (@PressSec) December 18, 2012