. >> nbc's kristin welker is live on the north lawn with the latest for us. kristin, it really was reality tv at its best last night, the president and speaker commanding the air waves when most people were tuning into the bachelorette or "you think you can dance." it seems like we're much farther apart than we ever we are before. >> reporter: you're right. it was political theater at its best of the the only problem we're about as far apart as we've ever been on this issue, at least that's the way it seemed last night. as you said, president obama took to the air waves, he called for a balanced approach and compromise. he said under that balanced approach he wanted to see spending cuts as well as new tax revenues to increase the debt ceiling. the speech was really remarkable according to a lot of people around here for what it didn't do. it didn't offer a lot of new information. white house officials counter by saying, there's a large swath of the american public that hasn't been tuned into this debate, so it was important for the president to reiterate his c

. >> watching the debates out there is kristin welker outside the white house.sident taking a step back, at least for now in those debates. what role will be white house play in the next few days? >> reporter: all day long with senior officials. he's in constant contact with congressional leaders on the hill. he certainly does have his hand in this. you're right. the main action right now is taking place on capitol hill. last night we had house speaker john boehner's bill that passed through the house, but then got tangled in the senate. all eyes are on a plan that is being put forth by senate majority leader harry reid. under that current plan it would reduce the deficit by about $2.2 trillion over the next decade. increased debt ceiling through 2013. that current plan, so far 43 republican senators have said they are not going to support it. in a few minutes we'll see the house vote on it and we expect it to get voted down in the house. what we expect to emerge is some sort of compromise bill. a revised mergs of the harry reid bill, if you will. the main stick

kristin welker is on the white house. luke russert is on capitol hill.kristen, this has got to be a frustrating monday for the white house. the president went into the weekend completely frustrated that he said i can't even get a phone call back. how do you move the ball at this point? >> frustration sa good word. most of the action right now is on capitol hill. and one democratic aide who has knowledge of the situation tells me that the white house really believes that the ball is on the other side of pennsylvania avenue right now. they say that this is the congress's job to come one a plan and move the situation forward. having said that the president is still very much involved in these developments. staffers here at the white house in constant contact with the folks of capitol hill. as you said there were meetings over the weekend so they're keeping those lines offense communication open. but you know the president continues to insist he's not going to accept a short-term deal. he remains steadfast in that statement. as you know speaker boehner's pro

i want to talk with cresten welker and find out what she's been watching today. kristin i know you have been reporting from the white house, the president didn't have any public events planned for today. and we're hearing that these back door meetings have been taking place between democratic leaders and gop leaders. how many times are we saying that we know that they've talked? >> reporter: well, we know that they've been talking throughout the day. the president has been in close contact with congressional leaders on the hill as you know, he met with pelosi and reid a short while ago. we're trying to get some information out of that meeting, and all we're really hearing is that they're all committed to getting a deal done. a comment will come out and said they feel they're getting closer to a deal. the white house is saying the president does have his hand in this, as you know, a lot of people have been saying a lot of the action has been on the hill for the past several days, with the president making public statements yesterday. he's been quite busy behind the scenes