Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered a pointed reminder to ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos during a Sunday morning interview, citing the journalist’s own statements from the 1990s government shutdowns to challenge his questioning about the current impasse.
The exchange occurred as the government shutdown entered its fortieth day, with negotiations stalled over Democratic demands for a blanket extension of 2022 Obamacare subsidies. Those subsidies were originally implemented to address pandemic-related shortfalls and were scheduled to sunset after three years.
When Stephanopoulos pressed Bessent about the administration’s position on ending the filibuster to resolve the shutdown, the Treasury Secretary turned the tables. He reminded the anchor of his previous role as a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton during the 1995 shutdowns, when Republicans controlled Congress under House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
“You were involved in a lot of these in the ’90s. And you basically called the Republicans terrorists and, you know, you said that it is not the responsible party that keeps the government closed,” Bessent stated. He then outlined what he characterized as the straightforward solution: “What we need is five brave moderate Democratic Senators to cross the aisle, because right now it is 52 to three. Five Democrats can cross the aisle and reopen the government. That’s the best way to do it, George.”
Stephanopoulos attempted to deflect, saying “I can disagree with you about the history there. We don’t have to get into a history lesson right now.”
But Bessent persisted. “If you want, I’ve got all your quotes here,” he offered, adding with a touch of humor, “I read your book, so you got one purchase on Amazon this week. And that’s very much what you said.”
The anchor dismissed this as “a mischaracterization of history” and attempted to redirect the conversation to current events.
However, the facts support Bessent’s characterization. During a 2000 interview, Stephanopoulos used nearly identical language when describing the Clinton White House’s strategy during the 1995 shutdowns. Those confrontations lasted five days in November and twenty-one days spanning December 1995 through January 1996.
The current shutdown centers on Democratic insistence that any funding measure include an extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies that were enacted during the pandemic emergency. Republicans have argued that these temporary measures should not be made permanent through last-minute additions to essential funding legislation.
The exchange illustrates the shifting roles that Washington figures often play over time. Stephanopoulos, once a partisan operative crafting political strategy for a Democratic president, now occupies a position as a journalist. Yet his past statements and strategies remain part of the public record, available for examination when relevant to current debates.
The Treasury Secretary’s approach demonstrated a willingness to challenge media figures directly, particularly when their current questioning appears inconsistent with their previous positions. Whether this confrontational style will prove effective in breaking the shutdown deadlock remains to be seen, but it certainly made for compelling television and highlighted the complexities of Washington’s revolving door between politics and media.
As the shutdown continues, the fundamental question remains: Will any Democratic senators break ranks to provide the votes needed to restore government operations, or will both sides remain entrenched in their positions?
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