Republicans returned to the negotiating table on Friday hours after walking out, saying the White House was refusing to move their way on spending cuts. [Source]
The House speaker attempted to strike a careful balance: he could lose conservatives’ votes but could not afford to reach a deal that so infuriated the far right that they would move to oust him.
Volatility has become the new norm in Washington as the president heads to Japan, where he will reassure world leaders that the debt ceiling showdown will not upend the global economy.
