US DEBT TALKS | THE KEY PLAYERS
HARRY REID
Senate majority leader
• On the talks: “This is likely our last chance to save this nation from default.”
• On the Tea Party: “We would be back in the midst of partisan wrangling with our economy once again held prisoner by extremists.”
MITCH MCCONNELL
Senate Minority Leader
• On the talks: “In the category of getting serious, I have spoken to both the president and the vice president in the last hour.”
• On the future: “I have a much more positive feeling than I did 24 hours ago… Our country is not going to default for the first time in our history.”
JOHN BOEHNER
Republican speaker of the House of Representatives
• On the talks: “In spite of our differences, I think we’re dealing with reasonable, responsible people who want this crisis to end as soon as possible.”
• On the Tea Party’s impact on the negotiations: “[They need to] get their ass in line.”
DAVID WEBB
Tea Party365 leader
• On the left: “According to the left, I have Stockholm Syndrome, I’m the house N-word, I’m the Uncle Tom.”
• On the talks: “We’re the adults in the room.”
BARACK OBAMA
President
• On the talks: “[Failure to come to an agreement would be] reckless and irresponsible.”
• On political in-fighting: “The American people may have voted for divided government, but they didn’t vote for a dysfunctional government.”
MICHELE BACHMANN
Rep member of House of Representatives
• On the talks: “Throughout this debate over guaranteeing insane never-before-seen in the history of this country levels of spending, President Obama has coolly stood on the sidelines, his arms crossed, very simply castigating Republicans for not giving him a $2.4 trillion blank cheque.”