CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, said the first step toward ending the political stalemate on Capitol Hill is to fully reopen the government.
MetroNews file photo
“We have to open it with a clean CR (continuing resolution),” said Tennant on Wednesday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
After that, she said, negotiations involving all sides could begin on a long term spending plan that would also include raising the debt ceiling before the Oct. 17 deadline.
“We cannot go into default. We’ve never done that in our country’s history. We cannot do that,” she said.
Tennant said there have been plenty of missed chances for negotiations involving Democrats and Republicans before now, more than a week into the partial federal government shutdown.
“As I watch and as I read and as I follow this, there were a lot of opportunities for both sides to negotiate and now, here we are, coulda, woulda, shoulda,” she said.
“We needed to have the negotiations at that period, long before the deadline, and long before the deadline takes place of Oct. 17.”
President Barack Obama has proposed temporarily reopening the government and raising the debt limit and, only then, beginning longer-term budget negotiations.
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner has rejected that and has, instead, called on Democrats to negotiate on additional GOP terms before a House vote on a full spending bill.
Tennant launched her U.S. Senate campaign last month. If she wins the Democratic nomination in the May Primary Election, she’ll likely face Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito in the 2014 November General Election.
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Comments
Roger
Hey Nat, why don't you clean up the mess in your own backyard (Mingo county) as the SOS before jumping in on a national issue? Are you wagging the dog because you needed the feds to "bail you out" down there?
October 12, 2013 at 9:19 pm | Report comment
James
I'm wondering if Harry Reid wrote these remarks.
October 9, 2013 at 9:39 pm | Report comment
William Buckley
Obama has proven over and over again that he won't compromise on anything and that he will lie about everything. If the GOP gives him what he wants on this he will never negotiate later.
October 9, 2013 at 9:02 pm | Report comment
Chuck
Amen
October 10, 2013 at 7:59 am | Report comment
steve
IMPEACH OBAMA---THE DEMOCRATS ARE SIMPLY NOT GETTING IT DONE...YOU CAN BLAME REPUBLICANS AND BLAME THE WHOLE SENATE AND CONGRESS BUT THE PRESIDENT IS THE CHIEF LEADER. IF WE FAIL TO REACH AND AGREEMENT THEN HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL BE TARNISHED , NOT THE REPUBLICANS................
October 9, 2013 at 9:01 pm | Report comment
sunnycal
What else would she say? The dems are footing the bill for her to run for senate.
October 9, 2013 at 8:40 pm | Report comment
Phys Ed
Hey Jeff,
Your hometown wants the town idiot back. Get home, will ya?
October 9, 2013 at 7:17 pm | Report comment
MCorp0317
I agree that SMC hasn't done much with her time in congress. However, in this we are going to have to choose the lesser of two evils. We can elect her and get a more conservative candidate next time or we can elect another, dead from the neck up, Dem liberal who will follow the rest of the Obama sheep. I"ll take my chances with SMC.
October 9, 2013 at 5:00 pm | Report comment
jake
I don't care if you are Dem. or Rep. or indep. Joe, Shelly Moore or any elected official elected to serve the people if you are not a part of the solution you are part of the problem. If you are an incumbent in the next election you don't get my vote.. period. THE PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER THAN WHAT WE NOW HAVE
October 9, 2013 at 4:38 pm | Report comment
Medman
Natalie agreeing with Obama.....who would have guessed? Vote her in if you want more of the same coming out of DC. If she is elected, WV deserves it.
October 9, 2013 at 3:55 pm | Report comment
MojoJojo
I listened to Tennant on Hoppy's show. As a responsible spending democrat, I was terribly disappointed in Tenant's remark's. She is an Obama puppet. The liberal democrat agenda is more important to Tenant than we West Virginians are. Remember now Tenant was an Obama rep at the Democratic National Convention last year. We won't forget that Natalie.
October 9, 2013 at 3:34 pm | Report comment
grey4449
17 Trillion in debt. OBAMACARE IS KILLING PEOPLES POCKETS. Natalie wants to go right with King Obama and give him what he wants. He will never quit on Obamacare. Just another follow the Obama trail politician.
October 9, 2013 at 3:25 pm | Report comment
WV Citizen
This is similiar to what the right wing said about the Family Medicial Leave Act. The debt is coming down! However, your pay, if you have a job, is not going up!
Keep buying articles/clothing etc. from China, Vietnam and India. Soon the Repudumblets will have all manufacturing jobs overseas!
Buy AMERICAN and send a message to Capito that we deserve better!
October 9, 2013 at 10:45 pm | Report comment
MTNR
The comments on this board are hilarious! Shelley is part of the problem and people here are defending her. A vote for the do-nothing Shelley More Crapito is a vote against the future of West Virginia.
October 9, 2013 at 3:06 pm | Report comment
Bigfish
I agree that she has done absolutely nothing for thirteen years but I prefer Shelley Moore Bush to Crapito.
October 9, 2013 at 4:47 pm | Report comment
WV Citizen
how many bills have Capito sponsered? How about co-sponsed? She is not for the typicial West Virginian!
Anybody would be better than the status quo!
Just say NO to Capito!
October 9, 2013 at 10:39 pm | Report comment
James
Natalie, you sure you want to be a part of what's going on in D.C. !!
October 9, 2013 at 2:32 pm | Report comment
PMQ
Hoppy, it might not be too late....check with John Raese, he might give you permission, you might still have time to be Natalie's campaign manager. You seem to be infatuated. She is an EMPTY suit.
October 9, 2013 at 2:30 pm | Report comment
Magic Mike
She will be nothing more then a rubber stamp for Obama. I really hope she does not win.
October 9, 2013 at 2:01 pm | Report comment