John Kerry: “I thank the Senator, and I appreciate it. I ask the Senator this: As ironic as it may be that on occasion people in the…”

“I thank the Senator, and I appreciate it. I ask the Senator this: As ironic as it may be that on occasion people in the past have indeed voted against the debt limit--both Republicans and Democrats alike--is it not true that in those situations, those votes did not hold the Nation hostage, did not come at a moment of enormous economic fragility, as we are in today, and did not run the risk of default because it was going to pass overwhelmingly every time? Is that not true?”