NEW: Hinckley Blasts Whitehouse on Debt

NEW: Hinckley Blasts Whitehouse on Debt

Senate candidate Barry Hinckley blasted Senator Sheldon Whitehouse tonight for “playing politics with the US economy,” saying the incumbent Democratic Senator deserves some of the blame for the US bond rating downgrade.

“It's embarrassing that the United States of America, the most powerful nation in the world, had its credit rating downgraded by S&P,” said Hinckley, a Republican.

He added: “This happened on Senator Sheldon Whitehouse's watch. Rhode Islanders expect independence from their leaders in Washington. Instead, Sheldon Whitehouse was a reliable vote for the destructive spending policies of his partisan leaders. The public debt was a big problem under the Bush administration. Over the last few years, it has spiraled completely out of control. It's not a surprise that Monday saw the largest market losses since the last financial meltdown.”

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In his statement Hinckley said the debt-ceiling bill backed by Whitehouse only expanded the “uncertainty” in the markets and “did nothing” to address reforms in Medicare and Social Security.

Whitehouse’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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