Bill Clinton: “I just don't know. I hope so. I want the Congress to open the Government again. This is not--this whole action is…”

“I just don't know. I hope so. I want the Congress to open the Government again. This is not--this whole action is without precedent. I think we should stop it, and we should go back to the ordinary way of dealing with this. I have demonstrated, I think, repeatedly, that I am committed to balancing the budget. I have shown that I will put forward a plan in 7 years. I have told them that I will work with them. And I will work with them, and I believe we can do it. But we ought to re-open the Government, the Congress should, for the benefit of the American people, especially this week. We shouldn't--this week the people and the employees should not be subject to this Government closing.”