Oct 3, 2013 | 01:17
Obama, congressional leaders still deadlocked on shutdown
Oct. 2 - President Obama met with Congressional leaders Wednesday to try to break a deadlock that has shut down wide swaths of the federal government, but there was no breakthrough. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.
No sign of relief as Speaker of the House John Boehner emerges from the White House where he met with President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders to try to forge a way to resolve the government shutdown. It was not to be. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER SAYING: "The President reiterated tonight that he will not negotiate." The shutdown has closed national parks across the country and forced hundreds of thousands of federal employees to be furloughed without pay. Republicans have tried to tie continued government funding to measures that would undercut Obama's signature healthcare law, often called Obamacare. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid says Democrats will be willing to talk about the budget once a temporary funding bill is passed. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID "We said we will be happy to work with you Mr. Speaker on a way out of this -- but we are where we are -- we are through playing these little games." A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 24 percent of Americans blamed Republicans for the shutdown, while 19 percent blamed Obama or Democrats with another 46 percent blaming everyone.