Obama, Santa and singer Jackie Evancho at the 2010 Christmas tree lighting (Charles Dharapak/AP)There's quite a lot of spin coming out of Washington this week concerning the debt ceiling, but here's a real doozy: Republicans want to destroy Christmas.
"Happy Holidays America: Boehner plan would have the debt ceiling all over again during the holiday season, which is critical for the economy," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer tweeted Thursday about House Speaker John Boehner's two-step plan to raise the debt ceiling.
"It's like the debt ceiling debate that would ruin Christmas," senior White House advisor David Plouffe said yesterday on MSNBC's Daily Rundown.
"Let's throw into doubt whether or not the United States is going to go into default around Christmas. Brilliant," White House press secretary Jay Carney said at a press briefing Wednesday.
The White House is claiming that because the first phase of Boehner's plan--a $900 billion extension--expires around the beginning of next year, it will throw Congress into another debt ceiling debate and default scare during the holiday season.
The Republicans, of course, are the evil Grinches of this scenario.
But Republicans deny any potential return of the debt ceiling discussion in December. Boehner's office and the plan's supporters say the first-round extension will carry the government through at least late January.
In a blog post entitled, "Yes, David. There will be a Christmas," Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck responded specifically to Plouffe's interview by accusing the White House of "grasping for any excuse" to criticize Boehner's plan. He reiterated that the extension won't expire near the holidays.
"Certainly, no one wants to ruin Christmas. And thankfully for Mr. Plouffe, Americans have nothing to fear," Buck wrote.