Obama Walks Out Of Tense Debt Ceiling Meeting

President Barack Obama walked out of a contentious meeting in ongoing talks to raise the nation's debt limit on Wednesday, an aide tells Reuters.

Politico reports that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said the president stormed out of the negotiating session with top congressional lawmakers.

The Hill reports that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi disputed Cantor's account of what occurred at the end of the meeting.

"Cantor's account of tonight's meeting is completely overblown," a House Democratic aide told HuffPost. "For someone who knows how to walk out of a meeting, you'd think he['d] know it when he saw it. Cantor rudely interrupted the President three times to advocate for short-term debt ceiling increases while the President was wrapping the meeting. This is just more juvenile behavior from him and Boehner needs to rein him in, and let the grown-ups get to work."

A GOP aide told Reuters after Wednesday's meeting that the president would not renegotiate his bottom line as to what he would compromise in the ongoing discussions. According to the aide Obama said, "I have reached the point where I say enough." He reportedly added, "Would Ronald Reagan be sitting here? I've reached my limit. This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this

“Obama lit him up. Cantor sat in stunned silence,” said an official in the meeting. “It was incredible. If the public saw Obama he would win in a landslide.”

Cantor explained to reporters that he told Obama he would hold multiple votes on short-term debt limit increases to allow more time to negotiate a final deal. Democratic officials said this is when Obama “lit into” Cantor for 10 minutes while the No. 2 Republican in the House “sat there speechless.”

“He said he had sat here long enough. ‘No other president, Ronald Reagan wouldn’t sit here like this,’ and he’s reached the point that something’s got to give,” Cantor said of Obama’s final exchange. “So he said, ‘You’ve either got to compromise on your dollar-for-dollar insistence or you’ve got to compromise on the big deal.’ Which means raising taxes.

“He said to me: ‘Eric, don’t call my bluff. I’m going to the American people with this.’ I was somewhat taken aback,” the Virginia Republican said.

Cantor said the president then “shoved back, said, ‘I’ll see ya tomorrow,’ and he walked out.”

TR11005 wrote:I hope Cantor had to change his underwear. This what we have been waiting from President Obama.

Redpossum wrote:

TR11005 wrote:I hope Cantor had to change his underwear. This what we have been waiting from President Obama.

Well, maybe. Hopefully. But let's remember he still seems to be arguing in favor of cutting Social Security as part of his big $4B plan. I'm not about to cheer for that idea.

Redpossum wrote:I have only one question -

What About The 99ers?!?!?!?!?

kjps12 wrote:there was a guy on keith olberman just now talking about the debt talks today and he said some of the things obama wanted in in exchange for cuts was something with unemployment insurance. will try to find a link for show