Politics

As GOP dismisses Geithner fiscal cliff offer, reporters defend White House

Paul Conner Executive Editor
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Washington political reporters on Thursday tweeted defenses of the White House’s opening proposal in the fiscal cliff negotiations with House Republicans.

The proposal, described by The New York Times as “loaded with Democratic priorities and short on detailed spending cuts,” included $1.6 trillion in tax increases over the next decade in exchange for $400 billion in savings from entitlement programs, including Medicare.

The potential cuts would not be guaranteed and would have to be worked out during the next Congress in 2013, according to the Times story published Thursday evening. (RELATED: Obama aides dismiss compromise with GOP on tax hikes)

As conservative observers followed Republican lawmakers in dismissing the proposal, which was delivered to Capitol Hill by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner earlier in the day, political reporters and editors sprang to the White House’s defense.

Among those journalists were Talking Points Memo’s Brian Beutler, Politico’s Marty Kady, Slate’s Dave Weigel, The Washington Post’s Zachary Goldfarb and the Daily’s Dan Hirschhorn.

“So It took White House 3 weeks to submit a completely ludicrous opening offer? Why? Be nice to see reporters question rather than explain,” tweeted GOP spokesman Brad Dayspring.

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Paul Conner