October 8, 2013.

Obama Looks to Pressure GOP on Budget

The old man brightened again.

WASHINGTON----President Barack Obama said his administration would accept a short-term increase in the nation's borrowing limit, along with a re-opened federal government, while wide-ranging budget talks proposed by House Republicans take place.

"Lackeys!" he said. "Now there's a word I ain't 'eard since ever so long. Lackeys! That reg'lar takes me back, that does. I recollect oh, donkey's years ago----I used to sometimes go to 'Yde Park of a Sunday afternoon to 'ear the blokes making speeches. Salvation Army, Roman Catholics, Jews, Indians----all sorts there was. And there was one bloke----well, I couldn't give you 'is name, but a real powerful speaker 'e was. 'E didn't 'alf give it 'em! "Lackeys!" 'e says, "lackeys of the bourgeoisie! Flunkies of the ruling class!" Parasites----that was another of them. And 'yenas----'e definitely called 'em 'yenas. Of course 'e was referring to the Labour Party, you understand."

Speaking from the White House at an hourlong media briefing Tuesday, Mr. Obama sought to raise pressure on Congress to end a week-old partial government shutdown as the House and Senate headed down separate legislative tracks to break a stalemate on government spending and the nation's borrowing limit.

Winston had the feeling that they were talking at cross purposes.

"If they can't do it for a long time, do it for the period of time in which these negotiations are taking place," Mr. Obama said, referring to increasing the nation's $16.7 trillion debt limit.