Pundits debating the fates of various Republican contenders for the presidency in 2012 are missing the biggest story of 2011, a veteran Capitol Hill corresp0ndent argues.
Fred Barnes, the Executive Editor of The Weekly Standard, spoke on the debt ceiling negotiations among Congressional Republicans, Senate Democrats and President Obama. Barnes argued that the secrecy of the negotiations was against the traditions of the American republic. Barnes said that he did not know if an agreement would be reached before the Treasury Department’s August 2 deadline at which the debt ceiling would be reached.
Barnes offered brief comment on the Republican presidential nomination contest, calling it not yet relevant compared to the debt ceiling negotiations. Barnes noted that in June 2007, pundits were speaking of a potential election contest with former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R) competing with then-Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).
Barnes spoke at an event for interns in Washington, DC held on June 29 at the Hillsdale College Kirby Center that was hosted by Professor Michael New of the University of Alabama.
Barnes also spoke on his long, esteemed journalistic career in Washington, DC, which included stints with the Baltimore Sun and the National Journal before he co-founded the Standard.
Michael Watson is an intern at the American Journalism Center, a training program run by Accuracy in Media and Accuracy in Academia.
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