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SUMMARY: The Wall Street Journal’s Janet Hook talks with Hari Sreenivasan about the increasingly contentious war of words between President Obama and Speaker Boehner. Hooks says that the unanimous vote on federal worker pay relieves pressure on Congress only briefly, as the debt ceiling deadline looms.
"Obama reacts to continued government shutdown" PBS Newshour 10/5/2013
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SUMMARY: Julie Pace, White House Correspondent for the Associated Press got an exclusive interview with President Obama on Friday, four days into the partial government shutdown. Pace shared the President's comments on the shutdown and the impending debt ceiling with Hari Sreenivasan.
MY MESSAGE: Mr. President, the U.S. should NOT give in to hostage takers. Please do not give in to the Tea Party.
"Shutdown's seventh day begins with political sniping" by Christina Bellantoni and Katelyn Polantz, PBS Newshour 10/7/2013
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"He knows what my phone number is, all he has to do is call."
That was House Speaker John Boehner appearing on ABC's "This Week," clearly frustrated with President Barack Obama.
Boehner on Sunday stressed he just needs a "simple conversation" with the president, something that hasn't been happening beyond a brief and unfruitful meeting with congressional leaders at the White House last week.
"The American people expect in Washington when we have a crisis like this, that the leaders will sit down and have a conversation. And I told my members the other day that there may be a back room somewhere, but there's nobody in it," Boehner said.
The Ohio Republican's interview came on the same weekend the Associated Press released its wide-ranging interview with the president.
Mr. Obama told Julie Pace what he's been saying for several days -- that he's only willing to negotiate with Republicans on health care and spending if Boehner holds a vote on a politics- and policy-free measure to fund the government.
Boehner also blasted Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., as inflexible. "That's what he's saying, complete surrender and then we'll talk to you," Boehner said.
A Reid spokesman responded in a Monday statement that Boehner says "things that fly in the face of the facts or stand at odds with his past actions."
"Americans across the country are suffering because Speaker Boehner refuses to come to grips with reality," Reid communications director Adam Jentleson's statement read. "Today, Speaker Boehner should stop the games and let the House vote on the Senate's clean CR so that the entire federal government can re-open within twenty-four hours."
The hardened lines signal there isn't likely to be any resolution to the standoff any time soon. Without a legislative path forward, what we see play out instead is the political battle.
On Monday as the shutdown stretched into its second week, the president's Organizing for Action re-election campaign spinoff released what officials say will be a "national cable" television ad bemoaning an "irresponsible" and "reckless" government shutdown.
The spot features GOP members of Congress appearing on television last week, including Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee proclaiming, "People are probably going to realize they can live with a lot less government."
"The government shutdown is hurting veterans, seniors and our kids," a female narrator says. "Now tea party Republicans are threatening an economic shutdown, refusing to pay our nation's bills, endangering American jobs."
It closes with a photo of House Republican leaders and an ask: "Tell them to stand up to the tea party."
COMMENT: "That's what he's saying, complete surrender and then we'll talk to you," Boehner said. NO Mr. Boehner, it is YOU and the Tea Party that is saying "surrender" to your demands.
The U.S. Debt Ceiling should be ONLY about that, with no attachments.
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