CNN "Outfront" - TRANSCRIPT David Crosby, Legendary Singer And Songwriter, Dead At 81; Ex- Russian President Threatens Nuclear War If Russia Loses; Alec Baldwin To Be Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter; U.S. Hits Debt Limit As White House, House GOP Clash Over Raising It. Aired 7-8p ET

Interview

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BURNETT: OUTFRONT now, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who I will note represent Silicon Valley and thought economics at Stanford University.

So, Congressman, your Republican colleague, you just heard one of them, but here's what they're saying today. Congressman Andy Biggs tweeted in part, quote, we cannot raise the debt ceiling, talking about Democrats, they've made their bed so they must lie in it.

And here's a few more of your Republican colleagues.

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BURNETT: So, Congressman, the president, you know, said he would not talk about spending cuts. That's where the White House position is. So are you going to take this to the mat? Are you going to try to call them on it and have a default or do you think, all right, maybe some pending cuts?

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): We're not going to default and it's said because this is a self-inflicted manufactured crisis. America should pay the debts that we have occurred. And it's past congresses that have authorized and appropriated that spending. Much of the debt is because of Republican policies, of course, Democratic policies, too, but it was Trump's tax cuts, his overseas wars that also caused the debt. There's some of the spending that Democratic presidents undertook.

But we should pay that obligation. We can debate future spending but why are we debating whether we should pay our debts?

BURNETT: Right. Well, some of the people now said they won't vote for this did vote for a lot of spending and a lot of spending as you point out -- we're spending its, there's plenty of bipartisan support and blame, whatever word you want to use.

But even on the Democratic side, Congressman, Senator Joe Manchin says that it's a good idea for Democrats and Republicans to sit down together and to talk about this. He said, here's what he would like to see.

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BURENTT: So, what do you say to him? Should this be -- is the word bipartisan going to play here?

KHANNA: If we want to have bipartisan conversations about how we reduce our future deficit, let's have them. And I disagree with some of the spending cuts that the Republicans want, but that's a legitimate point of debate. But what we can't debate is whether we should be paying the past debts.

And the Democrats never do this. I mean, we may have individuals symbolically vote against the debt ceiling. But at the end of the day, whether it's Republican president, the Democrats always give the votes. We never hijack the economy saying, pass our policies or we're going to crash the United States economy. That's not bipartisan. That's not a way of governing. That's like

basically saying if you have an argument with your spouse threatening divorce every time. I mean, that's not responsible.

BURNETT: All right. So, Congressman, I want to ask you one other thing before we go. The breaking news on David Crosby's death, the music icon. I know you're a big fan, too. What was your favorite song? What does this mean to you?

KHANNA: I'm a fan. I mean, I probably -- "Mr. Tambourine Man" because I'm a Dylan fan as well, and that was their cover song.

But I tell you what strikes me about this life, like anyone, he went through ups and downs. He was so open and honest about the addictions, the struggles. He triumphed over it and it seems towards the end of his life, he was really at peace. And I think that's so relatable, so human and it shows resilience. And I think that's why so many people were drawn to him.

BURNETT: Yeah, absolutely. His words there at the end, being ready and comfortable with his choices. So powerful.

Thank you so much, Congressman.

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KHANNA: Thank you. Thanks, Erin.

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