Meet The Press – January 6, 2013

Guests:

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Alan Simpson

Erskine Bowles

Sen. Angus King (I-ME)

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)

Newt Gingrich

E.J. Dionne

Carly Fiorina

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Gregory: OMG it's the annual fight over the 

debt ceiling which first began a long time 

ago when a black guy became President!

Audience: ooh

Gregory: Republicans are vowing to threaten 

to default unless they get what they want 

but first happy new year Senator McConnell

Gregory: you compared the debt limit to

a hostage you ransom and must be willing to shoot

McConnell: ever since Obama became

President spending became a big problem

Gregory: amazing

McConnell: last week we amended the

Constitution forbidding taxes forever and ever

Gregory: I did not know that

McConnell: no one likes taking America's

credit hostage but we must do it to make

Obama cut spending

Gregory: would you really wreck

America's economy like that?

McConnell: unfortunately we have to since

a Democrat became President spending and

the debt suddenly became a really big problem

Gregory: but it's a threat to America's credit

McConnell: look we have to since do

this since we can't win through normal politics

Gregory: fair enough

McConnell: spending has exploded

the last four years!

Gregory: for four years you refused to 

work with Obama and tried to make 

him a one-term President

McConnell: he has to be dragged

kicking and screaming slashing into Social Security

and the time to do it is right now when

a Democrat is President and he will get blamed

Gregory: since the debt is so important

would you be willing to raise more taxes?

McConnell: oh hell no that's over

Gregory: that's your final answer?

McConnell: yes the biggest threat to

America's future is all the spending I

supported when Bush was President

Gregory: Obama proposed entitlement

cuts and you said no

McConnell: he never made those proposals –

if he had Mitt Romney would have run

against those cuts in the 2012 election

Gregory: what cuts would you support right now?

McConnell: raise the Medicare age and

also means-test Medicare

Gregory: I see

McConnell: Americans are living too long

and we must address that now!

Gregory: you're the man to do it

McConnell: we should not have to

drag the President to the table

Gregory: would you shut the government down?

McConnell: the single biggest threat to

America is past excessive spending –

where is Obama's time machine?!?!

Gregory: Conservatives say you totally

caved to Obama under the Fiscal Cliff deal

McConnell: I was very fiscally responsible

and prevented tax increaes for 99% of people

Gregory: most impressive

McConnell: this was not a tax increase!

Just ask Saint Grover Norquist!

Gregory: it seems like the GOP is in

total chaos right now

McConnell: not true – we all agree that

taxes should be cut for billionaires

Gregory: good point

McConnell: now the American people

want us to eliminate Medicare

Gregory: what is your number one goal now

that you have failed to defeat Obama?

McConnell: the massive massive debt

Gregory: you want to make it bigger?

McConnell: no!

Gregory: sorry honest mistkae

McConnell: I want to Obama to take the lead

on Republicans' unpopular ideas

Gregory: what about Chuck Hagel?

McConnell: I am worried he is not patriotic

Gregory: he served in Vietnam!

McConnell: I meant patriotic for Israel

Gregory: could you support any

limits on people buying guns?

McConnell: yes I think we should address

spending and the debt for first time 

in Clinton was President

[ break ]

Gregory: OMG OMG Alan Simpson is here!! 

I'm squeeeeing!!!

Audience: oh god

Gregory: The American debt is just like an

America's family's credit card debts!!

The debt is the most important thing ever!!!

Here are the greatest men alive! Eeeeek!

Simpson: calm down David

Gregory: I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!

Bowles: it's ok Fluffy, you're worthy

Gregory: meeeeeep

Bowles: we must cut Social Security

Simpson: did you know that we are awesome?

Gregory: yes I did! I did!

Simpson: the debt deficit and interest

are wrecking America!

Gregory: oh god you guys are the best

Bowles: yes we are

Gregory: Obama says he offered to cut

Social Security and Republicans said

no to any tax increases

Bowles: well he is right about that

but still Obama hasn't done enough

Gregory: what has he failed at?

Bowles: he's failed to make Republicans

make tough decisions

Gregory: I begged Obama to cut Medicare

and he got all huffy saying the program

was really important to poor old people

Bowles: I would cut half a trillion dollars

from Medicare through raising the eligibility age,

negotiating drug prices, and early end of life issues

Gregory: what about the debt ceiling?

Simpson: McConnell should work with

his colleagues instead of threatening America

Gregory: what breaks this impasse?

Simpson: cut spending

Gregory: what spending?

Simpson: greedy old people –

who's fucking kidding who?!?

[ break ]

Gregory: it seems like U.S. government is dysfunctional

King: yes that is why people despair of America

Gregory: it's so sad - how do you break the impasse

King: we should make decisions and solve problems

Gregory: fantastic

Gingrich: we lurch from crisis to crisis

and it makes people crazy

Gregory: yes it's terrible

Becerra: this is no way to run a government

Gregory: right

Becerra: we must lock ourselves in a room

and put our budget proposals around the necks

of two roosters and let the biggest cock win

Gregory: interesting approach

Dionne: hey we raised taxes –

now let's make a small deal to stabilize the debt

Becerra: too small – singles don't 

win baseball games

Dionne: yes they do – now let's address unemployment

Fiorina: I know I sound crazy

Gregory: yes you do but go on

Fiorina: Goldman Sachs says the

fiscal cliff deal is a bad idea

Gregory: well I'm convinced

Fiorina: Obama must lead America and

do whatever Goldman Sachs says

Gregory: but he needs the Republican

House to work with him

Fiorina: but Obama needs to treat Republicans

respect like not saying anything when they yell out “you lie”

Becerra: the House can't even agree on 

hurricane disaster relief!

Fiorina: that bill was larded with pork!

Gingrich: typical Democrats ruining America

Becerra: but Chris Christie supported

the funding bill and he is a Republican

Gingrich: when he said something nice

about Obama he lost his GOP privileges

Gingrich: Republicans have no obligation

to fund the government

Dionne: Gingrich is right when he says threatening

the debt ceiling is a terrible idea and dumb politics

King: the debt ceiling is already paying bills

for money you already spent

Gregory: Carly it does seem like a scary idea

Fiorina: sure it's stupid but having a

big debt also ruins our credit rating

Gregory: I see

Fiorina: Obama must cut the debt Bush ran up!

Gingrich: forget the debt ceiling –

just stop funding the government!

Gregory: Angus where's the beef?

King: as an independent I can send

messages to both sides like Switzerland

Gregory: ricoooolaaaa!!

King: we must raise taxes and make painful cuts

Gregory: excellent

King: Obama should call some people

I don't know and get his hands dirty and

lock them in Camp David and then flee

Becerra: we've had a trillion in spending cuts

and $700 billion in Medicare cuts

that Mitt Romney railed against

Fiorina: spending got out of control in 2009

Dionne: abandoning the debt ceiling threat

would boost the economy

Fiorina: Obama invented spending!

Gingrich: the media loves a fake crisis

Gregory: don't criticize the media!

Gingrich: we must cut spending now that 

Obama has been reelected

Gregory: what about Chuck Hagel?

King: you talk about reaching out to

Republicans and Obama nominates a

famous Republican to run Defense

and what happens – Republicans stage a total freak out

Gregory: and that's another 

episode of Meet The Press

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