White House talks fail to end US government shutdown
Preisdent Obama says he will not negotiate on budget matters until Republicans pass bill to reopen government
Talks between an exasperated President Barack Obama and top Republicans failed to end a government shutdown on Wednesday, with both sides accusing the other of refusing to move off hardened positions.
Obama meanwhile, sent Wall Street a blunt warning that it should be very worried about a political crisis that has paralysed the federal government and could yet trigger a US catastrophic debt default.
The president met for more than an hour with Republican House Speaker John Boehner, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and House Democratic boss Nancy Pelosi.
But there was no sign that the talks made headway in ending a dispute that has sent hundreds of thousands of federal workers home, shuttered museums and national parks and threatens to dampen already sluggish economic growth.
When you have a situation in which a faction is willing potentially to default on US government obligations, then we are in trouble
“The president reiterated one more time that he will not negotiate,” Boehner said, emerging into a warm Washington night after the West Wing talks.