‘It’s Not My Fault’: McCarthy Dodges When Asked What He’s Willing to Concede To Avoid Economic Disaster

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) took questions from reporters on Wednesday after giving an update on the latest road bumps in his negotiations with the Biden administration in raising the debt ceiling before a possible, economically catastrophic default on June 1st.

“If the president does not agree to exactly what you want, are you willing to blow past this,” asked a reporter as McCarthy cut in.

“Okay. First of all, your premise, of your question is all wrong. When have I ever said you have to agree to 100% of what I want? All I’ve ever said to the president from February 1st, let’s talk,” McCarthy replied adding:

There’s only a couple of things I will not do, Mr. President. I will not raise taxes. Why? Because we are bringing more revenue in even to the GDP. Not just to the 50-year average, but the history of America. Only two other times have we brought in 20% of the GDP. 1944 and 2000. I will not put a clean debt ceiling on the floor. Why? Because we’ve spent more than we’ve ever spent before. And we have the highest debt than we ever had before. I just don’t think that’s right.

Reporters began yelling questions again as McCarthy continued, “But let me finish the question. And then I said to the president. But everything else is on the table. For 97 days, he wouldn’t talk to me. So we passed a bill. We’re not getting everything in our bill. I’m negotiating with the president. We passed a bill that raise the debt ceiling.”

McCarthy was then pressed by another reporter who noted he had “said that the concession Democrats were getting was to raise the debt ceiling.”

“So within the room there, what concession are you willing to give in order to save the economy?” asked the off-camera reporter.

“I’m willing to make America stronger, to curve inflation, less dependency on China, and spend less than we spent the year before. Because you know what? When we’re elected, the powers loaned to us from the American public. Who’s representing them?” McCarthy replied, adding:

It’s not my responsibility to represent the socialist wing of the Democratic Party. If the Democrat Socialist wing and Bernie Sanders cared so much, they would have passed the bill. They would have done something on the border. It is not my fault they won’t take action. It is not my fault that the President would not meet with me for 97 days. I’m sorry, but the moment he was willing to meet with me, I’ve been there each and every day. And I firmly believe we will get and solve this problem.

McCarthy continued to take questions and dismissed any concern that the GOP would be blamed for a default.

Watch the full clip above via MSNBC.