Senators Caught on Hot Mic Talking Shutdown Strategy: 'We Can Win This,' Says Rand Paul (VIDEO)
Two prominent Republicans were caught discussing their strategy regarding the continuing government shutdown when a hot mic picked up their conversation.
Senator Rand Paul approached Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, who was preparing for an interview with another outlet, and began to describe his continued talking points regarding the government shutdown.
"I just did CNN and I just go over and over again 'We're willing to compromise, we're willing to negotiate,'" Paul said, having just concluded an interview with CNN's Erin Burnett. "I don't think they [Democrats] poll tested, 'We won't negotiate.' I think it's awful for them to say that over and over again."
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"Yeah, I do too," said McConnell. "I just came back from that two hour meeting with them and that was basically the same view privately as it was publicly."
"I think if we keep saying, 'We wanted to defund it, we fought for that, but now we're willing to compromise on this,' they can't—I know we don't want to be here, but we're gonna win this, I think," Paul added.
On Tuesday, roughly 800,000 federal workers who were considered non-essential were furloughed.
In a Monday interview on NPR, Obama said he will not make any counteroffers to Republicans.
"I shouldn't have to offer anything," he said. "They're not doing me a favor by paying for things that they have already approved for the government to do. That's part of their basic function of government; that's not doing me a favor. That's doing what the American people sent them here to do, carrying out their responsibilities."
"I have said consistently that I'm always happy to talk to Republicans and Democrats about how we shape a budget that is investing in things like early childhood education, rebuilding our roads and bridges and putting people back to work, growing our economy, making sure that we have the research and development to stay at the cutting edge and that deals with some of our long-term debt issues.
