Good morning. Here's what we're watching this morning:
What happened at yesterday's debt meeting at the White House? Republicans were quick to say President Obama "walked out" while Democrats in the room say the president made an impassioned plea before ending the meeting. Regardless of which account is closer to the truth, it's safe to say that the two sides are very far apart. And with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke warning of "calamity" if both sides don't reach a deal and the possibility of a Moody's credit downgrade, the time for action is now. http://nyti.ms/q4o8ff
Politico points out that the Republicans don't seem to have a single leader. Boehner, McConnell and Cantor are all marching to their own drummers and that's making these negotiations even more difficult. Meanwhile, The New York Times points out that Cantor has become the new boogeyman for the Democrats.
One bit of good news for the President: The new Quinnipiac poll finds that more Americans trust him to handle the economy than Republicans in Congress.
And on the New York Times editorial page, former Bush 43 aide Al Hoffman, Jr., makes the case for Republican compromise. He says it's not too late for Republicans to strike the grand bargain with Democrats and that by doing so, they will look like the bigger statesmen.
2012:
Another poll confirms Michele Bachmann is your leader in Iowa. And Ron Paul is up with the first big ad of the season.
The Rupert Murdoch phone hacking scandal keeps widening... http://politi.co/nm5ytC
And if you say it enough, it must be true...
Media Matters found this gem from Fox News Channel's Eric Bolling. Bolling actually says he doesn't remember "any terrorist attacks on American soil" between 2000 and 2008. Incredible. Watch the video here: http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201107130046