Democrats and Republicans remain far away from each other on a wide range of issues regarding budget talks aimed at prevention a threatening default on US government debt, President Obama has said.
congressional leaders
President Obama and congressional leaders have met at the White House in a bid to discuss the budget as a government shutdown becomes visible. Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Democratic Senator Harry Reid were expected to deliver a joint statement. The talks have been on hold for days, with Republicans pushing far larger spending cuts than Democrats are willing to give in.