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Republicans say they follow Manchin and Sinemas utterances closely and hope the duo is subtly speaking for other Democrats, too.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has quietly dined with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and signaled her hopes for a negotiated solution on the debt limit to GOP senators.|Francis Chung/POLITICO

Shes trying to play a constructive role and try to get people to the table and understand that we cant go over the brink on this, said Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), who has spoken with Manchin and Sinema about the debt ceiling. Manchin saying things like that is constructive and helpful. Hopefully helps his leadership realize ... a straight debt increase just is a nonstarter.

Its too early for Manchin and Sinema to be negotiating a deal with Republicans next weeks meeting between Biden and congressional leaders needs to play out first. But their clear push for a bipartisan solution is notable given how strongly theyve resisted big portions of Bidens agenda.

And theres always the possibility that one of the Senates familiar bipartisan gangs swoops in to craft a debt limit remedy. If Manchin and Sinema throw their weight behind a bipartisan discussion, they have big priorities that could be in the mix, from immigration to energy permitting. Theyre both up for reelection next year, though neither has committed to running again.

In typical Manchin form, the West Virginian centrist is already chiding Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for referring to the House GOPs debt ceiling bill and its massive government spending cuts as dead on arrival.

In an interview on Tuesday, Manchin said of Schumers dismissal that to say somethings dead on arrival, before we really had a chance to look at it I think theres a better way to approach it.

Manchin said hes told McCarthy theres things I dont like in there, but theres a lot of things we can agree on. In particular, he touted the idea of approving a bipartisan, bicameral fiscal commission that would be required to bring deficit reduction legislation to the Senate floor.

He described himself as fine with the possibility that Biden and McCarthy would negotiate a debt agreement, the same position that Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has taken. Manchin also pointed to the debt ceiling negotiations between Democrats and the Trump administration as precedent for this time around even as his colleagues say theres nothing to negotiate.

I dont know why this is any different, he said.

Sinema warned in a statement for this story that playing chicken with the full faith and credit of the United States is irresponsible given the impacts a debt default could have on her constituents.

Both sides need to come together, put down the partisan talking points, and discuss realistic solutions to prevent default, she said.

For Manchin and Sinema, the debt ceiling presents perhaps their best opportunity to influence Congress and the president during a time of divided government. Each could run for reelection in 2024, and playing a role in averting a catastrophic default would be huge for their respective potential campaigns.

Both of them resisted Democratic suggestions to raise the debt ceiling during the last Congress through a filibuster-avoiding maneuver known as budget reconciliation. That gave them extra credibility with Republicans.

Many others agree with them among my Democratic friends, but theyre just not saying it. Theyve got to stick with Sen. Schumers party line, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said of Manchin and Sinemas very helpful treatment of the debt limit.

Were all together on the floor, and I follow what they say publicly, and theyre both being very adult about it.

Theres unfinished business for Manchin in the debt talks after the Senate rejected his energy permitting reform bill, which could make a return appearance in any deal. Thats on top of the prospect that the talks could address his continued complaints about the Biden administrations implementation of the Democratic tax, climate and health care bill he helped write last year.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who appeared at an event with Manchin challenger-in-waiting Gov. Jim Justice last week, said she still appreciates Manchins rhetoric about debt negotiations: I totally agree with what he says.

As for Sinema, who left the Democratic Party last year, the debt ceiling is just one more example of her going her own way. She and Manchin have split on tax policy in the past, but he praised her policy positions on Tuesday: Shes really pretty sharp on the fiscal responsibilities. Were in pretty good agreement on it.

At the moment, both are focused on the task at hand with no immediate timelines for announcing any 2024 reelection plans. But its not lost on anyone that cutting a debt deal could be crucial to their political brands.

Theyre both on the ballot, as you know, assuming they both choose to run. So they have some extra political calculations that certainly would play to a cooperative spirit, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said.

His hope for the coming days: Joe and Kyrsten send some signals that Hey, lets do this reasonably.

Other centrist Democrats havent taken the same tack as Manchin and Sinema. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), for example, is fine with negotiating on spending and deficit reduction, but only after a clean debt ceiling increase goes into law. That openness to a two-step process is overwhelmingly where Senate Democrats are, said progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Schumer on Tuesday reiterated his disinterest in giving ground, as the Senates two most famous centrists would prefer.

As Democrats expose the Default on America bill for what it is, our position remains the same: Both parties should pass a clean bill to avoid default together before we hit the critical upcoming June 1 deadline, he said at a press conference.

He and Biden are determined to show no daylight between them heading into the meeting between congressional leaders and the president. But once leaders are there, Manchin said he hopes Biden would deviate from his public remarks to meet McCarthy and McConnell halfway.

Talk about: How do we accumulate so much debt in such a short period of time in the last two decades? Manchin said. We cannot stay on this trajectory to this much debt.

Caitlin Emma contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Cramers party affiliation.

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Biden beware: Manchin and Sinema align with Republicans in debt ... - POLITICO