Still No Deal After Latest White House Talks

Obama expecting final answer on budget deal Friday morning
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 7, 2011 10:47 PM CDT
Still No Deal After Latest White House Talks
President Obama speaks to the media after a meeting with House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at the White House Thursday night.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Obama emerged from the third White House meeting with Harry Reid and John Boehner in 24 hours Thursday night without a deal to avert a government shutdown at midnight Friday. The president told reporters that differences still remain between the two parties, adding "I’m not yet prepared to express wild optimism," reports the Washington Post. Staffers have been ordered to work through the night and Obama made it clear that he expects a final answer on whether a deal can be reached by Friday morning, Politico reports.

The president earlier promised to veto a stopgap measure passed by the House. Boehner and Reid told reporters that they have "narrowed the issues," which include anti-abortion measures demanded by conservative House Republicans. "We still think we can reach an agreement on money, but he is under enormous pressure,” Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin said of Boehner. “He says it’s not from the tea party. It’s from the old Republican guard that wants to show once and for all that they can force through some of these issues like abortion.” (More budget crisis stories.)

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