this is the reality that john boehner is dealing with. the more rational move right now, the better decision is to actually fight for a debt limit battle, maybe even put default on the line to get concessions from the white house, you and i discussed it before. doesn't seem like the best play for the republicans, but for the speaker establishment of the republicans that seems to be the best play on the table. >> and much higher factor, orders of magnitude, running through that deadline -- precisely that reason that i think that john boehner thinks he has more leverage there. but i just can't see under any circumstances the white house negotiating towards delaying obama care, so that seems more ill-fated. thank you very much. let's turn to congressman chris van hollen, ranking member. what is the game plan here? >> well, chris, we don't know what speaker boehner is going to do at this point. he has been very close-lipped about it. the question is if he will try to attach another unrelated provision to the bill to keep the government runnin

i'm eamon javers in washington, where we've got a new letter now from secretary jack lew, john boehner updating the status of when it is, exactly, the treasury estimates the united states government will be unable to fund itself going forward. the new date estimated by treasury is october 17th. they say, if we have insufficient cash on hand, it would be impossible for the united states of america to meet all of its obligations for the first time in our history. >> the stakes are set and for the u.s. economy, they could not be higher. house republicans have to vote to increase the debt limit to avert a historic default. and today, speaker boehner announced his negotiating position. >> on the debt limit, we're going to introduce a plan that ties important spending cuts and pro-growth reforms to a debt limit increase. now, the president says i'm not going to negotiate. well, i'm sorry, but it just doesn't work that way. >> once again, republicans will take the economy hostage. the "national review" published the gop's ransom list. in exchange for avoiding default, republicans are demandin

. >> it's totally up to john boehner. he has to decide does he continue to appease the tea party wing or does he put a clean cr on the floor. >> the continuing resolution funding the government is now out of the senate and in order to avoid a government shutdown, it's up to house republicans to now pass a spending bill. >> so, over the next three day, house republicans will have to decide whether to join the senate and keep the government open or shut it down. >> and as democrats led by the president are pressing speaker boehner for a clean bill that funds obama care, it looks like house republicans are taking directions from someone else. >> i view what's critical is that the house pass a measure that protects the american people from the harms that obama care is causing. >> according to robert costa, senator ted cruz is continuing to press conservative members to revolt against boehner and strip the cr bill of obama care funding. there by inviting a shut down on monday. in just three day, we will know if ted cruz is abl

that's the steady hand of john mccain playing poker on his phone. the senate's resident republican hawk was caught by intrepid "washington post" photographer. mccain defending his actions in a tw tweet, of course. "scandal, caught playing iphone game at three hour senate hearing. worst of all i lost." he's on the verge of getting the war in the middle east he's wanted for the last five years. third awesomest thing on the interpret today, the return to mother russia for back to school twofer. buzz feed links to what can only be described as truly bizarre video of what appears to be the russian military performing a drill shooting blanks at the opening of a moscow school. if you listen closely, you can hear romstein playing in the background during the display. dark and disturbing showing. outdone by russian president vladimir putin's own bizarre display at a russian middle school classroom to commemorate back to school week. we'll let the folks at "russia today" describe what the russian president is drawing on the smartboard. >> mr. putin wasn't jus

that's the steady hand of john mccain playing poker on his phone. the senate's resident republican hawk was caught by intrepid "washington post" photographer. mccain defending his actions in tweet, of course. "scandal, caught playing iphone game at three hour senate hearing. worst of all i lost." he's on the verge of getting the war in the middle east he's wanted for the last five years. third awesomest thing on the interpret today, the return to mother russia for back to school twofer. buzz feed links to what can only be described as truly bizarre video of what appears to be the russian military performing a drill shooting blanks at the opening of a moscow school. if you listen closely, you can hear rammstein playing in the background during the display. dark and disturbing showing. outdone by russian president vladimir putin's own bizarre display at a russian middle school classroom to commemorate back to school week. we'll let the folks at "russia today" describe what the russian president is drawing on the smartboard. >> mr. putin wasn't just do

you have john boehner, nancy pelosi in the house. and in the senate, harry read and mitch mcconnell. three of them have told us where they stand, one has yet to tell us where they weigh-in. mitch mcconnell is remaining vague on the war talk. he seems torn between the mill tarristic instincts of your average republican lawmaker and the grassroots base who want no part in this. the junior senator sent him a not so sensitive letter. >> i went to 40 cities, i didn't meet one person who was for going into syria. when i told them i was opposed to it, i got a standing ovation. >> no, the mcconnell campaign doesn't want to talk about syria. >> team mitch's latest crack at courting women voters with this attempt at sweet talking. communications director from the national republican senatorial campaign committee. >> mcconnell's likely democratic opponent is an empty dress, because i suppose calling her an empty pair of panty hose would have been considered offensive. that's not all. alison grimes is incapable of articulating her own thoughts.

you have john boehner, nancy pelosi in the house. and in the senate, harry read and mitch mcconnell. three of them have told us where they stand, one has yet to tell us where they weigh-in. mitch mcconnell is remaining vague on the war talk. he seems torn between the militaristic instincts of your average republican lawmaker and the grassroots base who want no part in this. the junior senator sent him a not so sensitive letter. >> i went to 40 cities, i didn't meet one person who was for going into syria. when i told them i was opposed to it, i got a standing ovation. >> no, the mcconnell campaign doesn't want to talk about syria. >> team mitch's latest crack at courting women voters with this attempt at sweet talking. communications director from the national republican senatorial campaign committee. >> mcconnell's likely democratic opponent is an empty dress, because i suppose calling her an empty pair of panty hose would have been considered offensive. that's not all. alison grimes is incapable of articulating her own thoughts. pa

congratulations on the john kerry interview today. that was a huge deal. >> thank you. >> well done. >>> thanks to you at joining us this hour. congress famously works at this very pretty building. the united states capitol building. right down the national mall from the washington monument. it's around the corner from the white house. it has that iconic dome. this is where the floor of the house is, where the floor of the senate is. it is where some of the work of the u.s. congress gets done. more of the work of the u.s. congress gets done, though, not in that building but instead at the vary house office buildings and senate office buildings. the senate has three office buildings, and the most well-known of them is this guy. it's a really big building. it's really generic looking.

congratulations on the john kerry interview today. that was a huge deal. >> thank you. >> well done. >>> thanks to you at home for joining us this hour. congress famously works at this very pretty building. the united states capitol building. right down the national mall from the washington monument. it's around the corner from the white house. it has that iconic dome. this is where the floor of the house is, where the floor of the senate is. it is where some of the work of the u.s. congress gets done. more of the work of the u.s. congress gets done, though, not in that building but instead at

congratulations on the john kerry interview today. that was a huge deal. >> thank you. >> well done. >>> thanks to you at home for joining us this hour. congress famously works at this very pretty building. the united states capitol building. right down the national mall from the washington monument. it's around the corner from the white house. it has that iconic dome. this is where the floor of the house is, where the floor of the senate is. it is where some of the work of the u.s. congress gets done. more of the work of the u.s. congress gets done, though, not in that building but instead at the vary house office buildings and senate office buildings. the senate has three office buildings, and the most well-known of them is this guy. it's a really big building.

an offhand remark by secretary of state john kerry may have actually paved the way for the u.s. to avoid a military strike in syria. that in just a moment. >>> also tonight, michael bloomberg accuses a new york mayoral candidate of running a racist campaign for campaigning with his family. that candidate will be here to respond directly. >>> and later, george zimmerman is briefly taken into police custody after he allegedly threatened his estranged wife and her father with a handgun. reaction to this story is coming up. >>> but we begin tonight with a remarkable and possibly accidental development in the ongoing march towards a u.s. military attack on syria. the white house has clearly been in full court press mode, scheduling interviews for the president with six news networks for tonight, heralding president obama's speech to the nation tomorrow night, all to persuade a deeply skeptical american public and congress of the necessity of a military strike against syria. in what seemed to be a political train wreck in the making and/or the possibility of yet another war in the mid

an offhand remark by secretary of state john kerry may have actually paved the way for the u.s. to avoid military strikes in syria. that in just a moment. >>> also tonight, michael bloomberg accuses a new york mayoral candidate of running a racist campaign for campaigning with his family. that candidate will be here to respond directly. >>> and later, george zimmerman is briefly taken into police custody after he allegedly threatened his estranged wife and her father with a handgun. reactions to this story are coming up. >>> but we begin tonight with a remarkable and possibly accidental development in the ongoing march towards a u.s. military attack on syria. the white house had clearly been in full court press mode, scheduling interviews for the president with six news networks for tonight, heralding president obama's speech to the nation tomorrow night, all to persuade a deeply skeptical american public and congress of the necessity of a military strike against syria. in what seemed to be a political train wreck in the making and/or the possibility of yet another war in the mi