Politics

Harry Reid plays dumb when asked about Obama’s fiscal cliff plan [VIDEO]

Nicholas Ballasy Senior Video Reporter
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Responding to a question from The Daily Caller during a Tuesday press conference, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid avoided discussing why he won’t allow a vote on President Barack Obama’s fiscal cliff plan, claiming in jest not to be aware of the proposal at all.

Amid some laughter from reporters, Reid then asked TheDC to detail what is in the White House plan.

TheDC: How about the president’s fiscal cliff plan, the White House plan. Why hasn’t that been put up for a vote yet in the Senate, and are you planning on putting it up for a vote?
Reid: I’m sorry —
TheDC: The White House proposal that they floated around last week on Capitol Hill. Will you be putting that up for a vote?
Reid: I don’t know — I have no idea what you’re talking about, OK?
TheDC: The White House’s plan. The Treasury Secretary —
Reid: Do you know what that plan is?
TheDC: The plan that includes revenue and includes —
Reid: Uh-huh. What kind of revenue? What kind of revenue?
TheDC: The top 2 percent —
Reid: OK, what else does it have in it?
TheDC: The debt limit authority as well —
Reid: Yeah, no, no.
TheDC: I mean, there’s plenty — $1.6 trillion was the total and the stimulus, $200 billion —
Reid: I think it was 50.
TheDC: And Leader McConnell, Leader McConnell offered to support a vote for it in the Senate. Will you be doing that?
Reid: Well, I have to be careful what he offers, because the last one he offered, he filibustered his own bill, so.

Reid then ended the press conference. The White House plan, which was presented to congressional leaders by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, includes $1.6 trillion in tax increases and $200 billion for stimulus spending, the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits.

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Nicholas Ballasy