Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says Speaker Boehner's "fiscal cliff" plans "are non-starters in the Senate."
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Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 20, 2012At a press conference this afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reiterated that Democrats would stand firm against John Boehner’s “Plan B” proposal for the fiscal cliff — and evidently any other proposal put forth by Republicans.
Reid says "there's nothing to discuss" until House takes up Senate bill.—
Philip Klein (@philipaklein) December 20, 2012
Reid says Boehner has wasted a week with a "pointless political stunt"—
Philip Klein (@philipaklein) December 20, 2012
Reid on Boehner: "these are gyrations I've never seen before."—
Philip Klein (@philipaklein) December 20, 2012
Reid says they don't have a real offer from Boehner, says "it's the charlie brown football trick"—
Philip Klein (@philipaklein) December 20, 2012
Reid once again called for the GOP to “get serious” about solving the fiscal cliff crisis:
At news conference on Cap Hill, Sen Reid says GOP alternatives are "pointless, political stunts. It’s time for Republicans to get serious."—
Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 20, 2012
And then went on to demonstrate just how serious he is about Republicans being serious:
Press conference–or stand up routine?—
Stew (@StewSays) December 20, 2012
Schumer, holding tiny chart, says his teacher told him to hold it under his chin. Reid: "You've gotten older. Which chin?" #actualquote—
(@daveweigel) December 20, 2012
Reid takes a whack at Schumer's weight: "Chuck, as we've gotten older, which chin?"—
Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 20, 2012
Yuk yuk yuk!
Not to be outdone, Dick Durbin chimed in:
Durbin calls a foul on Reid for openly joking about Schumer's double chin. #America—
Meredith Shiner (@meredithshiner) December 20, 2012
And took the opportunity to show off his mad pop culture skillz:
Durbin compares Boehner to "Thelma and Loiuse" — slamming on the gas to go over the cliff.—
Philip Klein (@philipaklein) December 20, 2012
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin likens Boehner strategy to end of the movie Thelma & Louise: "Hit the gas and gov over the cliff."—
Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 20, 2012
I think Senate Democratic leaders bet each other to see who can drop more movie references to keep entertained.—
Meredith Shiner (@meredithshiner) December 20, 2012
Well, Harry Reid took a bunch of senators to see “Lincoln” yesterday, so maybe we’ll get a John Wilkes Booth reference at the next presser!
Lest anyone worry that the D.C. laugh factory is a boys’ club, Washington’s Patty Murray showed that women can be funny, too:
RT @daveweigel: Murray: "I was excited when I heard about Republicans+Plan B. Finally, they've made progress on an important women's issue."—
Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 20, 2012
What is happening with our lives right now? RT @mpoindc: Hey, a Plan B pun joke! This is great!—
Meredith Shiner (@meredithshiner) December 20, 2012
It’s like watching the Three Stooges. Weight jokes, movie references, dead babies … looks like we’ve hit the trifecta!
So to recap the Dem presser: A tiny chart Harry Reid laughed at, gyrations, Thelma and Louise metaphor, a Plan B joke and a Yogi Berra quote—
Domenico Montanaro (@DomenicoNBC) December 20, 2012
So, after all that, what’s the take-away?
Reid says he'll bring Senate back into session the morning of Dec 27 to continue work on a 'fiscal cliff' bill, but not Boehner's.—
Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 20, 2012
There we go RT @BloombergNews: FLASH: Harry Reid says Senate will not take up any House fiscal cliff bills—
Daniel Oon Yong Lin (@Danooyl) December 20, 2012
Good thing the Democrats are so willing to flout GOP obstructionism, right?
Harry Reid essentially says that unless Republicans do whatever he says, "there's nothing to discuss."—
Jim Antle (@jimantle) December 20, 2012
So Harry Reid said this: "We're not taking up anything they're working on in the House." I await media outrage over Dem "intransigence."—
Tommy (@FirstTeamTommy) December 20, 2012
Hope you’re not in a rush.
hostage taker. rt @daveweigel
Reid: "Until Republicans pass our bill, there is nothing to discuss. We are not taking up [Plan B]."—
David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) December 20, 2012
Hey, it’s just like in that movie!
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Related:
Harry Reid blocks vote on Obama’s fiscal cliff proposal, calls it ‘made up’