"Every aspect of life in America today is worse than it was when [President Obama] took over. Unemployment higher. Interest rates. The only thing that has gone down in America over the last two years is the value of your home. This president has mismanaged this economy. He has been incompetent in his management of this economy," Sen. Marco Rubio (R

President Obama blamed the "professional politicians" -- the ones who know all the nook and crannies of the debt and deficit and how to solve the crisis -- for holding up debt talks. CHIP REID, CBS NEWS: "Thank you, Mr. President. You said that everybody in the room is willing to do what they have to do, wants to get something done

Former Jimmy Carter pollster Pat Caddell says today's political climate is more friendly to a third-party candidate than in 1992 (read: Ross Perot).

"I'm not supposed to automatically assume there's something racial, but damn it, I am sick of this crap!" a distraught Whoopi Goldberg said on ABC's "The View" this morning. "Could you people get your act together. You don't know anything about how slaves raised their kids or why people work together? Just don't add stuff like that if you don't

GWEN IFILL: Did you feel that you made any progress this afternoon? SEN. RICHARD DURBIN: No, it was slow going this afternoon. The president listened carefully as the Republicans laid out their plan and, in the end, said the math just doesn't add up. It doesn't get to the numbers that you are suggesting. So, we have got to come back tomorrow

The Revered Al Sharpton was guest hosting on MSNBC's during their 6pm hour. The hour, normally occupied by liberal YouTube star Cenk Uygur, has no official name. After former sparring partner Bill Press and The Reverend Al Sharpton double-teamed Pat Buchanan for asking why the economy is so bad if President Obama's handling of it is so great, th

"Our biggest priority of this administration is getting the economy back on track and putting people back to work. Now, without relitigating the past, I am absolutely convinced and the vast majority of economists are convinced that the steps we took in the Recovery Act saved millions of people their jobs, or created a whole bunch of jobs. And, part

The Club for Growth released this ad to encourage Republicans to "show some spine" in negotiating a deal on the debt ceiling.

On "Meet the Press" yesterday, GOP presidential contender Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty made a direct attack against his fellow candidate and Minnesotan U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. Pawlenty said Bachmann's "recor

"How weird is it, that we see what happened in Greece, we see what's happened to Italy, we see what countries need bailout after bailout because they are ignoring what is in front of them and that is: red ink and over promising," Rick Santelli said on CNBC. "And while that's going on, here in our country, it's earlier in the game and we're still

Chris Matthews talks about what "Democrats have always been good at, jobs." Yes, that is an actual quote.

"In the Senate I believe there is support for the so-called 'big deal' among Democrats and Republicans because that's what it takes to change our fiscal condition and get us moving in the right direction," Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said on MSNBC. What is the "big deal"?

"There were no tax increases ever on the table. There was never any agreement to allow tax rates to go up in any discussion I have ever had with the White House, not once," Speaker Boehner said at an afternoon press conference before he left to go to the White House for another talk. However, at his press conference this morning, President Obama

"We weren't balancing the budget off of middle-class families and working-class families. And we weren't letting hedge fund managers or authors of best-selling books off the hook. That is a reasonable proposition."

"I will not sign a 30-day or a 60-day or a 90-day extension. That is just not an acceptable approach. And if we think it's hard now, imagine how these guys are going to be thinking six months from now in the middle of election season when they are all up. It's not going to get easier, it's going to get harder. So, we might as well do it now. Pull o

President Obama says "members of their [the Republican] caucus have not arrived" at this conclusion yet. Obama slams Republicans for not giving others the "benefit of the doubt" and believing in the "patriotism" of others: "Part of what of the Republican caucus generally needs to recognize is that American democracy works when people listen to e

President Obama tells Republicans he has "bent over backwards" for them and is open to their suggestions and will be there to consider them: "I have bent over backwards to work with the Republicans to try to come up with a formulation that doesn't require them to vote sometime in the next month to increase taxes. What I have said is,

"We are not out here trying to use this as a means of doing all these really tough political things. I would rather be talking about stuff that everybody welcomes like new programs or the NFL season getting resolved. Unfortunately, this is what's on our plate. It's before us right now and we've got to deal with it. What you are right about, I th

"We are not going to default, we have enough tax revenue to pay our bills. It certainly will be disruptive if we continue going on the track we're going on right now. We have enough asserts, Social Security, Medicare trust fund to pay those benefits if necessary. It's not ideal but we don't need to panic and rush into a deal and the President has a

On Monday's edition of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" guest Pat Buchanan explains why the Republicans should craft their own debt-solving idea and let the Democrats veto it. Pat Buchanan, MSNBC: "President Obama, with due respect, is out to lunch if he thinks he is going to get $2 trillion in taxes, we can stop talking about it. Boehner can craft this t

President Obama says if Republicans want spending cuts, then they must agree to "increase revenue." Transcript below: I think there are a lot of well-meaning business people out there who recognize the need to make something happen. i think they have been hesitant to be as straightforward as I'd like when I say, this is what a balanc

"I am worried about this idea that we can lurch from week to week and month to month," Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) told GMA this morning.