Budget Talks Stretch Into The Night

In a late night appearance in the White House briefing room, President Barack Obama told reporters that Congressional leaders and the administration will continue to “keep on pounding away” on budget negotiations.

“My expectation is that folks are going to work through the night.  In the morning I will check in with the respective staffs of the Speaker and the Majority Leader, as well as my team here,” Obama said.”If we haven’t made progress, we’re going to go back at it again.”

Added Obama, “I’m absolutely convinced that we can get this done.”

The President’s remarks come amid the possibility of a government shutdown this Friday, when funding is set to run out.

Obama stressed that a shutdown could have a negative impact on the economy’s recent improvements.

“People have to recognize that a government shutdown has real consequences for real people,” Obama said.”There are ramifications all across this economy.  And at a time when the economy is still coming out of an extraordinarily deep recession, it would be inexcusable, given the relatively narrow differences when it comes to numbers between the two parties, that we can’t get this done.”