President Barack Obama refuted an embarrasing quote from a senior administration official Friday, telling reporters that “no one is winning” as long as the federal government remains closed and hundreds of thousands of employees remain on furlough.
Obama made the remark while walking to lunch near the White House with Vice President Joe Biden, per a pool report.
The administration official claimed anonymously that Democrats are winning a standoff over funding the federal government, which was forced by House Republicans Tuesday over a demand to delay and defund President Barack Obama’s signature health reform law, and that it didn’t “really matter” how long it lasts.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) seized on the quote at a Friday news conference on the Hill and criticized the White House. “This isn’t some damn game!” he exclaimed.
