SIMON: Now, the revelation this week about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. And judging by the email I'm getting these days, Scott, they're also interested in all of those things for their potential as fundraising tools. There's a hardcore element in his caucus that's less interested in the debt limit than in rewriting the federal budget, slashing social spending and highlighting these issues in 2024.

He has to, otherwise he wouldn't be speaker. By including the two Democratic leaders and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has made statements about the importance of the debt limit even though he does support Kevin McCarthy, Biden gets three people in that meeting who agree with him on the urgent need to raise the limit. So what we saw in this Biden invitation to all four is a little bit of the power of the White House to stack the deck a bit in the president's favor. And that bill, as we know, would raise the debt limit but make it contingent on certain cuts to the federal budget that please Republicans. That would elevate McCarthy and highlight the bill the House has narrowly already approved. What's behind this?ĮLVING: The Republican strategy had been to make this a mano-a-mano match between Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

President Biden has called a meeting for next week with both party leaders of the House and Senate. could default on its bonds as soon as June 1. Listen, maybe it's all the crowns and jewels, but I'm reminded of the U.S. SIMON: But in any event, mine can be even worse. SIMON: Gosh, that was a bad British accent. RON ELVING, BYLINE: (Impersonating British accent) We are pleased to have the privilege of joining you, Scott. NPR senior editor and correspondent Ron Elving joins us. Now back to events in the former North American colonies.

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