White House: Eric Cantor Should Be In Debt Talks

WASHINGTON -- White House spokesman Jay Carney signaled Thursday that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) is still a welcome participant in debt talks, as long as he and others "play the role of the leader."

Democrats are increasingly blaming Cantor for complicating negotiations because of his firm opposition to any deal that he believes raises taxes. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) lashed out on Thursday, calling Cantor "childish" and saying his inability to negotiate in good faith means "he shouldn't even be at the table."

But Carney demurred when asked if the group would be better off without Cantor in the mix.

"The president believes that we have to reach a deal with the leaders of Congress, of both parties, and everyone has to participate and be engaged in that process," Carney said during his daily briefing.

Most important, he said, is "that everyone decides to play the role of the leader and to think, again, not just about the constituents in his or her district or state, and not just the constituents who are the most vocal in his or her party, but about the whole country and what's right for the whole country."

President Barack Obama told the group of lawmakers involved in debt ceiling negotiations he expects a final decision by Friday on whether they can move forward with a major deficit reduction package. If they can't, Carney said the group's task will become more narrowly focused on doing what is necessary to avert debt default.

The group, which includes House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), saved the most contentious issue for Thursday afternoon's meeting. They were set to discuss raising new revenues, by both looking for savings in health care entitlements, which Democrats don't like, and for savings in the tax code, which Republicans don't like. Carney said not to count on any breakthroughs.

"I do not expect, today, a hallelujah moment," he said.

Comments

[Intelligenti Pauca]

08:26 PM on 07/16/2011

To all those slamming the Obama administration over the debt ceiling, I'd like to ask you a question.

Where was your faux outrage when Dick Cheney said that "Reagan proved deficits don't matter" and Republicans voted to raise the debt ceiling 7 TIMES during George W. Bush's two terms?

[mrpell]

05:36 PM on 07/16/2011

So the dems idea of negotiating is to exclude those that disagree with them. Good strategy.

[glasschuck1]

06:57 AM on 07/16/2011

WOW !!! The White House Calling Eric Canton Childish !!!! That is rich. This from the President Cry Baby who when he didn't get his way pitched a fit and then stormed out of the room. Eric Canton stand fast do not relent on the no tax demand. American doesn't way a tax problem we have a spending problem. President Cry Baby has lead the charge in creating new programs and stimulus bill to spend our tax money. We need to cut every department by a simple 15% and stiop any new spending.

[h111aryc1inton]

03:07 PM on 07/15/2011

Amazing to think of Harry Reid calling anyone else childish - this man doesn't get it and neither does the President - the American people voted in 2008 for change - and then in 2010 realized the change they were promised wasn't the change they wanted. The country needs to take steps to stop spending more than we have and start the long process of fixing the ship.

All of the calls for not wanting the President to succeed are as juvinile and partican politics as telling scaring seniors that they won't get their Social security checks - stop with the games and come up with a plan to solve our problems.

Correct me if I am wrong (open invite to continue this silly game) but wasn't the President's last budget proposal shot down 97-0. Seems to me if he doesn't have a solution he should stop scaring the old an, get out of the way and let someone else lead.

[nlm0 0mln]

02:41 PM on 07/15/2011

Cantor is a tool. He reminds me of the guy who always wanted to be included but we all knew better.

[matcyn]

02:03 PM on 07/15/2011

I can almost see S.H. J. Boehner going home and kicking himself in the butt for allowing the KID sit at the grown ups table. Is not to late John , get a high chair ,candy and sit the KID in there and tell him to be silence to you are done with work.

[chaucer1]

01:56 PM on 07/15/2011

Does Cantor stand to make money if we default? We haven't heard much about that lately: why?

[h111aryc1inton]

02:46 PM on 07/15/2011

LoL - haven't heard much about the "Cantor betting against the Bond markets" story because it was a silly non-story. He stands to lose much more if the US were to default.

[heldt666]

01:34 PM on 07/15/2011

Cantor can come to the meeting but he cannot chew gum, act up or color with his crayons when someone is speaking.
Erik! Erik! Stop poking your neighbor with that ruler.

[HopeisEternal]

01:28 PM on 07/15/2011

There will be no deal because Republicans only want one thing - to bring down this presidency.

[glasschuck1]

06:59 AM on 07/16/2011

Stimulate our economy defeat Obama!!!

[mrpell]

05:38 PM on 07/16/2011

Obama is doing a great job of bringing his presidency down all by himself. He is the best thing that ever happened to Jimmy Carter.

[Totto]

12:30 PM on 07/15/2011

From Eric Cantor's yearbook: "I want what I want, when I want it!"

[travi41]

12:58 PM on 07/15/2011

Cantor's a weasel ...

[glasschuck1]

07:00 AM on 07/16/2011

Cantor's the only one in that room who is representing the American People. We sent hin to washington to stop the drunken spending on both sides!!!!

[mrhandyman3105]

12:21 PM on 07/15/2011

Keep Cantor in the talks. Cantor will never agree to what Obama wants and the talks will go down to the deadline and then congress will raise the debt ceiling w/o any stipulations.
Just what Obama wanted in the first place.

[Nathaniel Calloway]

12:20 PM on 07/15/2011

Why does Eric Cantor look like he's wearing a mask?

[Wolf Larsen]

12:18 PM on 07/15/2011

Cantor absolutely should be at the table. In fact the more the_Teabaggers are exposed for the extreme mouth_breathers that they are the more apparent their_bigotry.....which is the driving force in everything they say and do becomes more apparent....

[glasschuck1]

07:07 AM on 07/16/2011

WOW !!! When you have no argument then it is bigotry to ask that our elected politician act responsibility. Of course you in this statement have no problem in using a defamatory name to describe the American Citizens that oppose the reckless spending that that this party and the President is engaging in! Yes Eric Canton needs to be there. He represents the normal american that his working and trying to keep his above water after 3 years of having Presidents Obama's leadership.

[Squigibo]

12:02 PM on 07/15/2011

Cantor WANTS THE US TO DEFAULT. His short sell investments will net him personal wealth if we default. Traitor.

[h111aryc1inton]

03:11 PM on 07/15/2011

see now here is the problem...you either know or should know that your statement just isn't true! So did you decide to post it anyway, or do you not care if you tell the truth?

[TimeMaster]

11:51 AM on 07/15/2011

Unfortunately for Cantor, "opposition" is not leadership. If that is all he has to offer, the negotiations are better off without him. When he grows up, maybe then he can sit at the table with the grown-ups.

[Totto]

12:31 PM on 07/15/2011

And get a slice of turkey. f/f