Now KAMALA steps in to try to solve the debt crisis
Vice President stepped in Thursday to try to build support for the administration's position in budget negotiations with President Biden in , but struggled with voice problems on a zoom call with leaders. Thursday offered the opportunity for Harris to crank up administration messaging amid high-stakes talks with leaders over a budget that could pave the way for avoiding default and raising the debt ceiling. But on a zoom call organized by the Office of Public Engagement, Harris could barely get out her opening lines. 'You can hear I have a bit of a frog in my throat, please forgive me,' she said as her voice cracked. 'I've been talking about this issue a lot recently,' she said, chuckling. Harris only managed to get out a few lines of her pitch about the 'unprecedented' nature of a default. It has never happened before, she said. It would mean if it happened it would be the first time in history that the United States government did not pay its bills. Just as she was getting going blasting the Trump tax cuts, even while still struggling with voice problems, her audio cut out. 'Were having a bit of a technical difficulty, just give us one second, well get back live in a second,' said OPE head and former mayor of Columbia, S.C. Steve Benjamin. Then participant Lael Brainerd, who heads Biden's National Economic Council, stepped in 'while we wait for the vice president's audio to be restored.' She provided two guideposts for negotiators, while saying default could cost millions of American jobs. 'The administration's negotiating team is fighting against extreme attempts to reverse the progress weve made' on climate change and other issues she said. She said negotiators had been 'instructed to resist extreme attempts to take health care away from Americans or otherwise push Americans into poverty.' That came after Biden hinted to reporters that Republican work requirements were still on the table. The president said as he left Washington Wednesday: 'Well, I'm not going to accept any work requirements that's going to impact on medical health needs of people' taking Medicaid work requirements off the table. 'I'm not going to accept any work requirements much beyond what is already ... I voted years ago for work requirements that exist. But it's possible there could be a few others, but not anything of consequence,' he added. That raised the possibility he would go along with some GOP changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, program. Her voice somewhat restored, Harris said a U.S. default 'could trigger a recession,' and vowed a default 'would not be acc under any circumstances.' Top aides to Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are continuing to hold talks. What role Harris is playing is not entirely clear. She participated in Biden's meeting Tuesday with the 'Big Four' leaders of Congress. But on Friday, the California native is set to jet to Los Angeles to deliver remarks on reproductive health, after taking a leading public role calling to protect abortion rights after the decision. It was not entirely clear who was on the call. Benjamin at one point thanked 'thousands of you who chose to join this call,' although the White House did not immediately respond to questions about the nature of those invited to join the call, which did not include a question and answer session.