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Hey, good morning, Playbookers. I'm Ruggumonovalin. It's Wednesday, and today's show, Mitch McConnell's debt-sealing escape. This is your Politico Playbook Daily briefing.

The idea started out promising, at least from the GOP's perspective.

Over the summer, Mitch McConnell surprised much of Washington when he drew a bright line on the debt ceiling, demanding Democrats to use reconciliation to raise the borrowing cap on their own.

The idea was to force President Joe Biden's party to increase the $29 trillion debt by a specific number, then hammer them for out-of-control spending on the campaign trail.

Republicans cheered.

But while McConnell struck a deal with Chuck Schumer on Tuesday, though ultimately achieve the same result, his method of getting there has left to many of his own members unhappy.

Instead of gumming up the works by forcing Democrats to use reconciliation, he agreed to

a convoluted strategy that enables Democrats to bypass the filibuster.

It goes like this, at least 10 Republicans will have to join the Democrats as early as Thursday

in approving new legislation allowing Schumer's party to temporarily raise the debt ceiling by a simple majority vote.

Maybe they'll get more GOP backing, but maybe not.

Senate Republicans, we here, didn't exactly embrace the plan when McConnell presented it at the

weekly conference lunch on Tuesday, though McConnell predicted there will be enough votes

to joining him for passage.

Here's the question, though, was it a cave or was it a win?

Mitch McConnell declared to reporters Tuesday, quote, the red line is intact.

The deal he added is, quote, good for the country and good for Republicans.

Translation, he got Democrats to own the debt ceiling increase, which is what he wanted all

along.

He didn't care how they got there, or if they used

reconciliation to do it or another process. The solution will still allow the GOP to grill Democrats

...