Senior White House adviser Dan Pfeiffer on Thursday compared Republican lawmakers to suicide bombers as the showdown over a possible government shutdown intensified.
“We are for cutting spending, we are for reforming our tax code, we are for reforming entitlements,” Mr. Pfeiffer told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “But what we are not for is negotiating with people who have a bomb strapped to their chest.”
Mr. Pfeiffer, 37, who was hospitalized twice this month for stroke-like symptoms, also compared the GOP to arsonists and kidnappers. He called Republicans’ bid to attach other priorities to a debt-ceiling bill “ransom demands.”
“It’s not a negotiation if I show up at your house and say give me everything inside or I’m going to burn it down,” Mr. Pfeiffer said.
“So if they want to have a discussion about how we reduce our deficits and how we help the middle class, how we give them a better bargain, lift the debt ceiling. Take the full faith and credit of the United States off the table and lets have a discussion,” he added.
Congress and the administration have until Tuesday to agree on a short-term measure to keep the government running. The House has passed legislation to fund the government but defund Obamacare, a proposal Democrats reject.
SEE ALSO: Obama taunts Republicans, touts health care law
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.