Clyburn on debt ceiling deal: ‘A lot of whining on the right,’ ‘Concern on the left’

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) projected confidence in the debt-ceiling deal getting enough support to pass Congress, despite what he described as “a lot of whining on the right” and “concern on the left.”

“I think we’ll get this done. I understand there’s a lot of whining on the right, there are a lot of concern on the left, but I do believe, that in the final analysis, both parties will come together and we are going to have an agreement that the American people can be happy with and I think that we can be comfortable with as legislators,” Clyburn said on MSNBC’s “The Sunday Show” with Jonathan Capehart. 

The deal, which was reached by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and President Biden Saturday evening, would cap spending and raise the debt ceiling for two years in order to avert a national default. While McCarthy and allies have embraced the deal as a victory for Republicans, some fiery conservatives have railed against it on social media and have threatened to try to block its passage. 

Clyburn – who now serves as the House Assistant Democratic Leader after years as Democratic Whip – said he is “absolutely” confident that House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries can get the bill passed, saying Jeffries has done “

“Hakeem Jeffries has (done) a remarkable job as leader of our party,” Clyburn said. “He has brought our various factions together. He’s holding it together. He is providing leadership, and that’s what it takes. When both sides can see leadership at the top, they respond favorably and he’s getting a lot of very favorable response from our folks because he is exerting the kind of leadership that can make us all proud.”