‘You guys realize you’re not in the real world’: Biden mocks reporters for debt ceiling

President Joe Biden dismissed questions about the state of play for a debt limit and budget deal, saying reporters who questioned him aren’t in the ‘real world’ – then mocked their negotiating skills and said he would be foolish to talk up the compromise before the looming vote.

Biden made the comments as he left the White House after taking part in a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, as his agreement with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was taking shots from both the conservative right and the progressive left – including from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

He hailed it as a ‘bipartisan deal’ that deserved passage and would clear Congress by the ‘X date’ of June 5th when the nation would go into default.

‘You guys you realize you’re not in the real world,’ Biden told reporters when asked about the compromise as he prepared to fly to his Wilmington home for a night, after spending the weekend at Camp David. 

President Joe Biden told reporters they weren’t in the ‘real world,’ and predicted a ‘bipartisan deal’ on the budget with a debt limit suspension would clear Congress by June 5

He said the deal would get done by June 5th ‘no question.’ The House Rules Committee is preparing to meet Tuesday to start House and Senate action this week. Biden also said he spoke to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who praised the agreement. 

‘There is no reason why it shouldn’t get done by the fifth. I’m confident that we’ll get a vote in both houses, and we’ll see,’ he said.

At another point, when asked for his message to Democrats who were grousing about it, Biden said it was ‘talk to me.’

Asked what he would tell them, Biden said: ‘I’m not going to tell you.’ Then he said it would be absurd to try to cast the deal as a win now. Some House progressives have ripped it, saying it would lock in cuts pushed by Republicans.

‘How about if this was a 100 percent deal for the Democrats. You think that’d help me get it passed? Come on,’ Biden said.

He expanded: ‘One of the things that I hear some of you saying is why doesn’t Biden say what a good deal it is? Why would Biden say what a good deal it is before the vote? You think that’s going to help me get it passed? No. That’s why you guys don’t bargain very well. Anyway …’ 

Speaker Kevin McCarthy unveiled the 99-page bill raising the debt ceiling to avoid the U.S. defaulting 

Biden laughed when asked what he thought about Ron DeSantis saying he would examine pardons for Donald Trump and January 6 defendants

Biden attended events at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day. He then took off for Delaware

Biden spoke on a day Donald Trump left his New York apartment to go golfing

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the nation was still ‘careening towards bankruptcy’ after a deal to suspend the debt limit and freeze spending at 2023 levels, with spending to rise 1 per cent the following year

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy must find a way to move the deal through the House

At the same time, a group of House GOP conservatives have said the deal’s suspension of the debt ceiling until January 2025 amounts to a $4 billion increase. 

‘Well, prior to this deal … our country was careening towards bankruptcy. And after this deal our country will still be careening towards bankruptcy,’ said GOP presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

‘And to say you can do $4 trillion of increases in the next year and a half, I mean, that’s a massive amount of spending,’ he said.

As for Biden’s own assessment, he said: ‘It feels good. We’ll see when the vote starts. 

He said he hasn’t yet had a chance to speak to Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who has been lobbing criticism at it. 

There is no reason it shouldn’t get done by the 5th. I’m confident that we’ll get a vote in both Houses and we’ll see.”

Biden smiled and laughed when asked a question about DeSantis saying he would pardon former President Donald Trump. (DeSantis said last week he would review individuals on a ‘case by case basis’ when asked about Trump and January 6 defendants, and said he would start the process on ‘Day One.’

Biden raised his hand and turned away when he got the question. ‘I’ll see you guys,’ he said, without answering directly.