McCaskill breaks with Senate leadership over Democrats' spending legislation

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said on Wednesday she would not support the Democrats' spending proposal for 2011.

"The Senate, frankly, has not gone far enough," McCaskill said in a floor speech prior to the vote on Wednesday afternoon. “It is, frankly, disappointing to me. I think there are way too many people in denial around here about the nature of the problem and how serious it is.

“I will not be able to support the Democratic version,” McCaskill said later in the speech.

But McCaskill also harshly criticized Republicans’ proposal and said she would not support it.

“It is completely wrong that we would do massive, massive cuts all in one fell swoop right now with our economy in the position that it is,” she said. “The House's resolution, frankly, was not smart in the way it did its cuts.”

As both proposals are certain to fail, McCaskill said Congress would have to go back to the negotiating table to find a medium between the two budgets.

"Really, the sweet spot is somewhere in between these proposals," said McCaskill. 

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) also broke with leadership on Wednesday, criticizing both the House Republican proposal, H.R. 1, and the Senate Democratic amendment as "partisan and unrealistic."