Obama To Boehner: 'I Expect An Answer In The Morning'

[ProSense]

Obama To Boehner: 'I Expect An Answer In The Morning'

David Kurtz

In brief remarks to the press carried live on national TV, President Obama said he and Speaker Boehner had narrowed the issues and made progress since yesterday on the budget negotiations. But given where things stand and the rocky road to get to this point, "I'm not yet prepared to express wild optimism," Obama said.

Obama said he expects a final answer in the morning and hopes to be able to announce a deal publicly early Friday.

TPM: No Deal! Clock Ticks As Government Shutdown Looms

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Obama emerged from the talks less than enthusiastic.

"I'm not prepared yet to express wild optimism," he told reporters. "I think we were further along today than we were yesterday."

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"I expect an answer in the morning," Obama said. "My hope is that I would be able to announce to the American people very early in the day that a government shutdown has been avoided. That's what I hope to be able to announce tomorrow, but there's no certainty yet."

Obama also issued a last-ditch warning about the impact a shutdown would have on the economy's fragile recovery.

"Our nation's top economists have said the economic damage from a government shutdown would mount very quickly," he said. "We've been working very hard to get this economy back on its feet...for us to go backwards because Washington couldn't get its act together is unacceptable."

[Peacetrain]

1. .... or get off the pot Speaker Boehner (my words)

Give em hell Mr President

[ClarkUSA]

2. For those who keep pushing the false meme that Pres. Obama & Democrats are "folding" -->

But Mr. Obama said he told the two Congressional leaders that the preparations for an orderly shutdown had already begun and that he expected an answer from them Friday morning about whether they could reach a deal.

"My hope is that I will be able to announce to the American people sometime early in the day that a shutdown has been averted," he said.

Mr. Reid said that Republicans had “drawn a line in the sand” on issues of abortion financing and changes to the Clean Air Act, and that those issues could not be resolved in the hours left before a government shutdown.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/08/us/politics/08fiscal....

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. Hopefully President Obama and the Dems

have "drawn a line in the sand" on those (and other) issues as well. Though I can't see them agreeing to accept any of the major ones that have been heavily publicized.

[ClarkUSA]

5. If it comes to a shutdown, teabaggers will be thrilled and the economy will nosedive.

Republicans will be blamed by the general public but will be heros to their base. The WH and Congressional Democrats are standing firm in the face of that reality.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. As well they should!

Republicans have learned nothing from 1995-1996 (at least those who were present-like Boehner).

[Jakes Progress]

21. Past experience would indicate

that the president and the Democrats did indeed cave over to republican demands again and again, that they cut the budget over and over after the republicans continued to walk away from their promises to agree. And finally, it went too far. Most of the Democrats know that if they completely cut Planned Parenthood, they would face primary challenges. But, I think we will find that the cuts the republicans got were very much one sided. I know everyone is concentrating on the Planned Parenthood issue, but there are hundreds of issues that the budget will cover. Let's see how NPR, education (other than more testing and privatization) and a host of other progressive issues fare in the coming budget.

I could foresee a false issue thrown up by the whole congress. At the last moment, the republicans concede on Planned Parenthood. Democrats celebrate, have parties, pat each other on the back. Then they wake up in to morning to see the budget cuts the republicans got. "Winning" with Planned Parenthood would give good cover to a Democratic party that gave away the store in the initial negotiations.

[Historic NY]

4. We wouldn't have had this problem if the majority passed the budget last yr.

[Hippo_Tron]

8. The Republicans filibustered in the lame duck and demanded it be put off until next year

And besides we would be having this problem, just around the start of FY 2012 later this year.

[tritsofme]

18. The government's fiscal year is October 1st.

It should have been resolved by then.

The lame duck dealt with the expiration of an earlier short-term CR. They could have moved the funding bills well before the election.

[Hippo_Tron]

20. Congress regularly puts it off until after the end of the fiscal year, particularly in election year

[Ikonoklast]

15. McConnell killed it in the Senate last year.

BLAME HIM.

[jillan]

7. I called Boner's office earlier today. They are very defensive about this.

They kept saying that Boner didn't want a shut down. Then tell him to compromise!

[Bravo Zulu]

9. boner to Obama"you're making me weep!"

[GOTV]

10. Obama is still hoping for cooperation from those whose top priority is making him fail

It doesn't speak well of Obama.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. Actually it speaks very well of him IMHO

He is being the "adult" here and people know it. It's the teabaggers and their Repub panderers whom will be in political trouble. The Repubs are starting to fracture over the riders, so as long as everybody hangs tight, well win this fight and come out looking better IMHO.

[GOTV]

14. I don't see it that way. If you're out to hurt me, I'm not interested in your ideas.

[Inuca]

16. OK... an tehn what?

In practical terms, and assuming that you are just interested in purity of thought but in actually getting something done, even if the something in question is less than perfect, what exactly would you do after the catarthic "go to hell"?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

19. Out to hurt you?

What did I say?

[midnight armadillo]

22. Being an "adult" doesn't win political battles

Obama's vaunted political skills seem to come up short in every fight with the GOP.

[BklnDem75]

12. Please tell me...

How is this budget going to get passed without cooperation from both parties? It really doesn't help to just complain for the sake of complaining.

[GOTV]

13. How does a robbery happen without the cooperation of both parties?

One party is beaten by the other party. You want to call that cooperation, go ahead.

[BklnDem75]

17. Make more sense please?