A tense on-air showdown between Sen. Rub�n Gallego (D-Ariz.) and CNBC �Squawk Box� host Joe Kernen boiled over Monday morning, ending abruptly when the anchor terminated the interview after a fiery exchange over the ongoing government shutdown and Democrats� demand to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The back-and-forth began with Kernen questioning competing Senate spending proposals but quickly spiraled into an all-out confrontation when Gallego accused Republicans of �refusing to hear� a clean bill to pay federal workers.
�Instead of debating it and actually putting it to a vote, [Republicans] stopped it altogether,� Gallego said. �Our bill was simple � pay every government employee right now while we work this out.�
Kernen pushed back, pointing to Republican objections that Democrats were tying the shutdown fight to health-care spending. �Did you agree with Democrats� criticism that the other bill gave President Trump too much leeway on which employees to pay?� he asked.
Gallego snapped back: �Because it gave the president power to decide who�s essential. Let�s be honest � this president is temperamental. He acts like a child. He�s petty. If you give him that power, he�ll use it in a petty, childlike way.�
The exchange quickly devolved into cross-talk. Kernen accused Democrats of �demanding more appropriations,� while Gallego insisted the fight was about protecting 24 million Americans from skyrocketing insurance premiums.
�We want to make sure that Americans do not see their insurance premiums doubled,� the senator said.
Kernen pressed him on the Democrats� $1.5 trillion spending proposal, questioning why the same extension couldn�t be achieved for far less.
�You could extend the Obamacare subsidies for one year for $40 billion,� Kernen said. �For ten years, it�s about $345 billion. What�s in the $1.5 trillion?�
Visibly irritated, Gallego shot back, �I�m sorry � are you an insurance broker?� before accusing Republicans of blocking any effort to protect working-class families.
The Arizona Democrat escalated his criticism, saying Republicans were �screwing up on tariffs, raising inflation, and now going to raise your premiums,� and even accused GOP leadership of �keeping the House of Representatives out until January to protect pedophiles.�
Kernen countered that Republicans �refuse to be blackmailed and held hostage into what Democrats want,� arguing that Speaker Mike Johnson had no obligation to act on Democratic demands.
As Gallego continued talking over the host, Kernen tried to regain control � then abruptly ended the segment.
�Okay,� Kernen said tersely. �We�re finished, Senator. Thanks for your time.�
Unfazed, Gallego smiled and replied, �I appreciate it. You too � have a good one.�
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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One Response
Again the lie of the Democrats talking about raising insurance premiums. Actually the issue is that the average taxpayer is tired of paying 90% of every freeloaders premiums. The really poor get Medicaid for free. Others buy insurance and get idiot taxpayers to pay most of their bill.