Political Quotes

“talk about a diversion--that is what we just heard. My friend the Republican leader has talked from the very beginning of this Congress that his No. 1 goal is to defeat Obama for reelection. That is not looking so good. Romney is stumbling, Gingrich is plodding along, heading now everyplace. But, Madam President, because the Republican leader has caused us-- because we have the rules in the Senate, which I accept--has caused us to focus all of our attention on my friend trying to make sure the President is not reelected, we have spent months and months on things that were ordinarily done just like that. Funding the government--we had numerous CRs for very short periods of time. Finally, we were able to get that done. Then came the debt ceiling, and we spent 3 months on that--3 months of wasting time here in the Senate. Never have we done that. As I indicated and has been spread on the record of this body many, many times, under Ronald Reagan, the debt ceiling was raised 18 times just like that. Also, Madam President, anyone who understands Washington--and there are a lot more people who understand Washington than the people who are in this Chamber--my friend says: have him--me--go deal with the Speaker. Well, the issue there is kind of stunning how my friend has said this: Go talk to the Speaker. Everyone knows the Speaker cannot move forward with any negotiations until this bill is defeated here, period. Obviously, that is the case.…”