The White House is making fun of Sen. Tom Cotton’s opposition to President Obama’s decision to buy nuclear material from Iran by saying the Arkansas Republican probably couldn’t tell the difference between heavy water and other kinds of water.
“Sen. Cotton is certainly not an expert on heavy water,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Wednesday. “I’m certain he couldn’t differentiate heavy water from sparkling water.”
Cotton tweeted out afterwards at Earnest that sparkling water isn’t served in the Army, “unlike in your ritzy West Wing.”
As for you @PressSec , you’re right, I don’t know much about sparkling water. It isn’t served in Army, unlike in your ritzy West Wing.
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) April 27, 2016
The exchange happened after Cotton on Wednesday tried to attach an amendment to an appropriations bill that would halt the sale of the heavy water. But that effort failed when Democrats blocked it from receiving enough votes.
Asked whether President Obama would veto Cotton’s measure, Earnest referred to the Senate vote to kill it.
“It did not succeed in getting the sufficient number of votes in the Senate to end debate,” he said. “That is the indication that there is not likely to be the necessary support to add the amendment to this broader appropriations bill.”
Earnest also said the White House has “made clear” that ideologically motivated riders are not appropriate for appropriations bills,” he said. “Right now I would say we are gratified that this has not advanced in the Senate.”
It was the second time in as many days that Earnest tried to ridicule Cotton’s efforts while dismissing them.
On Tuesday, Earnest said if Cotton wants to stop the sale of Iran’s heavy water to the United States, then maybe he should “write another letter to the Supreme Leader and see how far that gets him.”
Cotton and 46 other senators last year sent an open letter to the leaders of Iran broadcasting that Congress has the final say in whether to enact the nuclear deal, not the White House.
