Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) pushed back on claims that the
supercommittee failed because President Obama was not involved enough in
the panel’s negotiations.
Republicans have criticized Obama for
failing to lead on the deficit-reduction panel’s negotiations and charged that the
committee’s failure is a result of a lack of leadership by the
president.
“Three different times this president stepped up,” Durbin said Tuesday on MSNBC. “Twice directly to Speaker [John]
Boehner [R-Ohio], once to Vice President Biden and [House Majority
Leader] Eric Cantor [R-Va.] and said, ‘Let’s negotiate the real thing.’ Each of those negotiations the Republicans walked away. So I think the
president was where he should be, on the sidelines saying, ‘Your special
committee, your responsibility, I’m going to back ya up if you get it
done.’”
For the complete article in The Hill’s Briefing Room blog, click here.
