(NECN/NBC News: Steve Handelsman, Washington D.C.) - Eleven days into the partial government shutdown and six days before possible default, it looks like republicans are suddenly eager to make a deal.
Some republicans say a vote to reopen government could come in 24 hours. And there's talk of a long term budget deal, with speaker John Boehner now talking one deal to avoid default and reopen government.
Senate GOP lawmakers went to the white house to discuss that with President Obama.
"He may not want to call it negotiation. That's what I would call it and I do view that as progress," Maine senator Susan Collins, a republican.
Democrats are demanding a long term deal.
"We cannot have a situation where the debt ceiling is extended short period of time and we're in the same situation we are in now,” said Jay Carney, the white house press secretary.
And, after 11 days of partial government shutdown, a new NBC News poll found that 53% blame the GOP in congress, prompting a republican reboot.
"There’s no sense dwelling on the past; mistakes have been made," said California congressman Buck McKeon, a republican.
Local
Captain Keith Colburn was on Capitol Hill. His boat, The Wizard, of the discovery channel's The Deadliest Catch, cannot head back to Alaska until regulators get back to issuing permits.
"I’m a small businessman, in a big ocean, with big bills, and I need to go fishing,” said Captain Colburn.
Tea party senator Ted Cruz urged no deal to reopen government, until Obamacare gets killed.
"In my view, the house needs to keep doing what it's been doing, which is standing strong," Cruz said.
But the anti-Cruz reaction is stronger in his own party.
"Ted Cruz, what he did here, is lead a party into a dead end with no strategy," said Peter King, a representative of New York.
Now the republican strategy is to make a deal.
One republican noted that after years of conflict neither side is used to cooperation. Now, he said, they're relearning how it's done.
