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First Word: Nobody blinked

Happy Sequester Day? The deadline has come, it looks like the days of austerity are upon us.
President Obama speaks to the media about sequestration in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 1, 2013. (Photo by Saul Loeb/Getty Images)
President Obama speaks to the media about sequestration in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C. on March 1, 2013.

Happy Sequester Day? The deadline has come, it looks like the days of austerity are upon us. President Obama and congressional leaders failed to reach a deal to avoid the dramatic budget cutbacks, trimming $85 billion this year alone and $1.2 trillion over the course of a decade. Analysts predict we won't feel the widespread impact until a few months from now, though furlough notices are already being sent to some federal employees.

We'll discuss the politics of the sequester in Friday's show. Here's a look at headlines shaping The Last Word rundown: