See notes from my FNC colleague Kara Rowland at the Ohio Clock stakeout on Capitol Hill:
GOP Ohio Clock highlights
Senate Republicans were briefed at their lunch by Miguel Estrada who represented them in the NLRB appointments case.
McConnell
If the NLRB decision is upheld what are the ramifications on the Board’s ruling
Cornyn
I hope Obama doesn’t talk about investment which is really spending
I hope he also talks about unfunded liabilities
Thune
You can make this thing up – Pelosi saying on FNS that there isn’t a spending problem
Unfortunately for Democrats the American ppl can add and they’ve done the math
Barrasso
Says there have been eight different times POTUS has pivoted to jobs — holds up a chart
Blunt
The prez needs to propose alternative cuts or else the cuts in law will be implemented
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Q&A
McConnell
I hope the president knows he doesn’t control the Congress
He needs to move to the political center – we didn’t see that in the inaugural … tonight’s another opportunity
On Hagel — everytime there is a cloture vote they call it a filibuster
This is not unprecedented.
Sequester
It’s pretty clear to me that the sequester is going to go into effect
I imagine we’ll have a counter approach
Asked if he has consulted Biden on the sequester, McConnell says no but notes there is an “eerie similarity to fiscal cliff negotiations
Read my lips: I’m not interested in an eleventh-hour negotiation
Need to keep commitment and retain the level of spending cuts without raising taxes
