Ted Cruz: Reid Holding US 'Hostage' With Shutdown

With the federal government lurching toward a shutdown, Ted Cruz is pointing his finger squarely at Harry Reid, who "holds that absolutist position and essentially holds the American people hostage," he told Meet the Press today. The Senate majority leader "has essentially told the House of Representatives and the American people, ‘go jump in a lake.’ His position is 100% of ObamaCare must be funded in all instances. Other than that, he’s going to shut the government down." Politico notes that Cruz says the GOP has compromised, backing off of a full repeal of ObamaCare and settling for its defunding. Meanwhile, he complains, "what have the Democrats compromised on? Nothing." Elsewhere on your Sunday shutdown dial, as per Politico:

• House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy: “We are not shutting the government down. ... We will pass a bill—if the Senate (rejects the current House bill)—that will keep the government open, that will reflect the House that I believe the Senate can accept." It "will have fundamental changes into ObamaCare that can protect the economy for America."
• Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin on the medical device tax: "I'm willing to look at that, but not with a gun to my head, not with the prospect of shutting down government."
• Tim Kaine: "I agree we should have this (ObamaCare) debate, but we shouldn’t connect it to a government shutdown. That’s the fundamental disagreement between the two sides here. It’s wrong to do a shutdown of the government as a lever to make change."
• Mike Lee: "I support what the House did last night," as far as ObamaCare. "If it’s not ready for some, it's not ready for everyone. We want a delay for everyone. And the best way to do that is by defunding it.”

Click for Bill Clinton's take on the looming shutdown. (More Sunday morning talk shows stories.)