Dem Rep. Khanna: I Feel Bad for Speaker McCarthy, He’s Beholden to ‘Extremes’ in His Party

Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) said Thursday on CNN’s “The Situation Room” that he felt bad for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) because he was beholden to the “extreme” members of his party in the debt ceiling negotiations.

Khanna said, “The Republicans have manufactured this crisis. They are the ones who are bragging they are holding the country hostage for the president yo do what he was instructed to do by the lat Congress and that is paying the bills. The president has an obligation to keep the country afloat, to keep the economy working. He’s the only one with that responsibility.”

He continued, “It would be great for the president to address the American people and here’s what he should say. He has been instructed by past congressing elected by the American people to spend money. All he’s doing is following his constitutional authority to do that. He believes we do need to reduce the deficit and we should talk about reducing the deficit but you shouldn’t hold this country hostage in paying our bills and keeping our word to do that.”

Khanna added, “We didn’t think that the Republicans would hold the country hostage in the way that they are. I mean, they have increased the debt ceiling three times under Donald Trump. The Republicans are the ones who are basically holding the government from paying our obligations because of this procedural tactic. It is just wrong. So I do believe that in this case it is the Republicans to blame. Now I don’t think it’s just Speaker McCarthy. He has people on his extreme that unfortunately he’s beholden to. I’ve known speaker McCarthy for years. My sense is he probably wants to cut a deal. He understands that’s what you have to do but he’s got extremes on his party. I almost feel bad for him.”

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