The Price of Politics (59 page)

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with four firsthand sources.

145
“The things I will not consider”:
Compilation of Presidential Documents, “The President’s News Conference,” July 11, 2011,
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=CPD
.

146
Later that morning at the Capitol:
Press release, “Speaker Boehner Remarks on Ongoing Debt Limit Discussions,” Office of Speaker John Boehner, July 11, 2011,
http://www.speaker.gov
.

147
Cantor handed out copies:
Author review of notes from PowerPoint presentation.

148
That evening by 8:30
, Politico: Jonathan Allen and Jake Sherman, “With John Boehner Bailing, Eric Cantor Ascends as GOP Voice,”
Politico
, July 11, 2011,
http://www.politico.com
.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with four firsthand sources and contemporaneous notes by a participant.

149
“Republicans have a plan”:
John Bresnahan, Jake Sherman and Jonathan Allen, “Angry John Boehner Rallies GOP Troops on Debt Limit,”
Politico
, July 12, 2011,
http://www.politico.com
; see also press release, “Speaker Boehner: GOP Has Been Clear: Real Spending Cuts & Reforms, No Tax Hikes,” Office of Speaker John Boehner, July 12, 2011,
http://www.speaker.gov
.

150
McConnell pulled no punches:
Floor updates, “Reid, McConnell,” July 12,
2011,
http://www.republican.senate.gov//files/02/24/18/f022418/public/index.cfm/floor-updates?Date=12-Jul-11
.

151
In response to a question about what would happen:
Corbett B. Daly, “Obama Says He Cannot Guarantee Social Security Checks Will Go Out on August 3,” CBS News, July 12, 2011,
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20078789-503544.html
.

152
Asked about his relationship with the speaker:
Scott Pelley, “Obama: Boehner ‘Would Like to Do the Right Thing,’ ” CBS News, July 12, 2011,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/12/eveningnews/main20078935.shtml
.

153
“Well, then, he’s going to have to explain”:
Ibid.

154
“John,” Obama began
,
“you said this was my problem”:
John Bresnahan, Jake Sherman and Jonathan Allen, “Angry John Boehner Rallies GOP Troops on Debt Limit,”
Politico
, July 12, 2011,
http://www.politico.com
; press release, “Speaker Boehner: GOP Has Been Clear: Real Spending Cuts & Reforms, No Tax Hikes,” Office of Speaker John Boehner, July 12, 2011,
http://www.speaker.gov
.

155
Neither he nor Obama addressed McConnell’s assertion:
Floor updates, “Reid, McConnell,” July 12, 2011,
http://www.republican.senate.gov//files/02/24/18/f022418/public/index.cfm/floor-updates?Date=12-Jul-11
.

156
For his part, McConnell was direct:
On the record author interview with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, July 12, 2011.

157
“We both agree on entitlements”:
Jake Sherman and Jonathan Allen, “House GOP Not Ready to Blink on Debt Negotiations,”
Politico
, July 12, 2011,
http://www.politico.com
.

158
In an interview later, Boehner said:
On the record author interview with Speaker John Boehner, June 7, 2012.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with six firsthand sources and contemporaneous notes by a participant.

159
In an interview, the president said:
On the record author interview with President Barack Obama, July 11, 2012.

160
The Moody’s report stated:
Abby Phillip, “Moody’s Puts Debt Rating on Review,”
Politico
, July 13, 2011,
http://www.politico.com
.

161
Cantor described Obama as “abruptly walking out”:
Russell Berman and Sam Youngman, “Obama Warns Cantor: ‘Don’t Call My Bluff,’ ”
The Hill
, July 13, 2011,
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/171403-obama-warns-cantor-dont-call-my-bluff-in-debt-talks
;
blog post, “The Leader’s Ledger,” Office of Majority Leader Eric Cantor, July 13, 2011,
http://majorityleader.gov
.

162
The president later recalled the confrontation:
On the record author interview with President Barack Obama, July 11, 2012.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with six firsthand sources and contemporaneous notes by a participant.

163
“With so much at stake”:
Congressional Record, Vol. 157, No. 105, July 14, 2011,
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2011-07-14/html/CREC-2011-07-14-pt1-PgS4568.htm
.

164
“I just went up and put my arm around Eric”:
On the record interview with Speaker John Boehner, June 7, 2012.

165
“Let me just say we have been in this fight”.
Felicia Sonmez, “Boehner Defends Cantor from Democratic Criticism in Debt Limit Talks,” 2chambers blog,
The Washington Post
, July 14, 2011,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/boehner-defends-cantor-from-democratic-criticism-in-debt-limit-talks/2011/07/14/gIQAzjfTEI_blog.html
.

166
Afterward, when Boehner and Cantor were waiting together:
On the record author interview with Speaker John Boehner, June 7, 2012.

167
“S&P is going to issue a statement”:
Press release, “S&P Places U.S. ‘AAA/A-1+’ Rtgs on CreditWatch Negative,” Standard & Poor’s, July 14, 2011, 7:46 p.m.,
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/14/market-ratings-creditwatch-us-idUSWNA372820110714
.

168
That evening, there was the congressional baseball game:
“Congress at the Bat,”
Talking Points Memo
, July 14, 2011,
http://media.talkingpointsmemo.com/slideshow/congress-at-the-bat-50th-annual-congressional-baseball-game
.

169
Reid had, that day, expressed support:
Paul M. Krawzak, “Backup Debt Plan in the Works,”
Congressional Quarterly
, July 14, 2011,
http://public.cq.com/docs/news/news-000003908298.html
.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with four firsthand sources.

170
In an interview a year later:
On the record author interview with Speaker John Boehner, June 7, 2012.

171
Boehner handed Daley and Geithner a two-page offer:
Two-page document obtained by author entitled “Deficit Reduction Package,” dated July 15, 2011.

172
“There was one point before this”:
On the record author interview with Speaker John Boehner, June 7, 2012.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with six firsthand sources and contemporaneous notes by a participant.

173
The second was a four-page counteroffer:
Author obtained document entitled “Deficit Reduction Package,” dated July 17, 2011.

174
The president would later recall that he was pleased:
On the record author interview with President Barack Obama, July 11, 2012.

175
In an interview later, Boehner said:
On the record author interview with Speaker John Boehner, June 7, 2012.

176
In an interview, the president recalled:
On the record author interview with President Barack Obama, July 11, 2012.

177
At 7 p.m., Loper sent a three-page offer:
Author obtained document, titled “Deficit Reduction Package,” dated July 17, 2011.

178
In an interview he recalled a discussion with the president:
On the record author interview with Speaker John Boehner, June 7, 2012.

179
Asked about this the president said:
On the record author interview with President Barack Obama, July 11, 2012.

180
It was really about votes? I asked:
On the record author interview with Speaker John Boehner, June 7, 2012.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with six firsthand sources.

181
But in a meeting with fellow senators that morning:
Gang of Six, Executive Summary on Talking Points Memo,
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/documents/2011/07/executive-summary-of-gang-of-six-deficit-reduction-plan.php
.

182
Because it was bipartisan:
Jannifer Haberkorn and Matt DoBias, “Gang of Six Plan Looks to Health for Savings,”
Politico
, July 19, 2011,
http://www.politico.com
; Manu Raju, “Gang of Six Back from the Brink,”
Politico
, July 19, 2011,
http://www.politico.com
.

183
“Some progress was made”:
Compilation of Presidential Documents, “Remarks Prior to White House Press Secretary James ‘Jay’ Carney’s
Briefing and an Exchange with Reporters,” July 19, 2011,
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=CPD
.

184
Asked about his reaction to the Gang of Six:
On the record author interview with President Barack Obama, July 11, 2012.

185
So Cantor put out a statement praising:
Russell Berman, “Cantor Gives ‘Gang of Six’ Plan Mixed Review,”
The Hill
, July 19, 2011,
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/172423-cantor-gives-gang-of-six-plan-mixed-review
.

186
Through a spokesman, Boehner said:
Andy Sullivan, “Senate Budget Plan Falls Short: Boehner Aide,” Reuters, July 19, 2011,
http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/07/19/usa-debt-boehner-gangofsix-idINWEN564220110719
.

187
He later told
The Washington Post: Peter Wallsten, Lori Montgomery and Scott Wilson, “He Promised Change in Washington. Then the Debt Deal Collapsed. So Obama Changed Course,”
The Washington Post
, March 18, 2012, p. A9.

188
When he was done he had a three-page offer:
Author review of document entitled “Deficit Reduction Package—Nabors Draft 7/19/2011 6:27 PM.”

189
It was panned by the American Enterprise Institute:
Marc A. Thiessen, “The Gang of Six’s $3 Trillion Tax Hike,”
The Washington Post
, July 21, 2011; Mark Steyn, “Gang of Six Bag of Tricks,” The Corner blog,
National Review
, July 19, 2011,
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/272254/gang-six-bag-tricks-mark-steyn
; James C. Capretta, “The Gang of Six Disaster: The Worst Plan So Far,” ibid., July 20, 2011,
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/272311/gang-six-disaster-worst-plan-so-far-james-c-capretta
; editorial, “The Gang of Six Play,”
The Wall Street Journal
, July 21, 2011.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with eight firsthand sources and contemporaneous notes by a participant.

CHAPTER THIRTY

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with 10 firsthand sources and contemporaneous notes by a participant.

190
A band of angry Democratic senators:
Alexander Bolton, “Reid: ‘I’m the Senate Majority Leader. Why Don’t I Know About This Deal?’ ”
The Hill
, July 21, 2011,
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/172895-reid-confronts-obama-budget-director-on-possible-debt-ceiling-deal
; Meredith Shiner, “Silence on Obama Meeting Follows Uproar over Debt Deal,”
Roll Call
, July 21, 2011,
http://www.rollcall.com/news/senate_democrats_volcanic_over_deal_rumors-207575-1.html
.

191
Headlined “Push Intensifies”:
Carl Hulse and Jackie Calmes, “Push Intensifies for Larger Deal on Debt Impasse,”
The New York Times
, July 20, 2011,
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/21/us/politics/21fiscal.html
.

192
When Lew was done, Senator Barbara Mikulski:
Paul Kane, “Debt Talks Bring Tensions Between Democrats, Obama to Surface,”
The Washington Post
, July 21, 2011.

193
Reid was so angry that he talked to reporters:
Manu Raju, “Harry Reid: Deal Must Have Revenues,”
Politico
, July 21, 2011,
http://www.politico.com
.

194
“Geithner has two concerns,” the president later recalled:
On the record author interview with President Barack Obama, July 11, 2012.

195
In an interview, Boehner, who was consulting notes:
On the record author interview with Speaker John Boehner, June 7, 2012.

196
Obama later told me that he presented the speaker:
On the record author interview with President Barack Obama, July 11, 2012.