both sides have policy differences, and you respect these policy differences. How can you reconcile them without violating your own principles?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, that's the essence of what Congress tries to do every year. It's not unusual for there to be policy differences. What's unusual is for those policy differences to not be bridged, at a time when hundreds of thousands of Americans are unemployed, and the economy needs a stimulus to get it going again. Our economy is in recession.
And that's why -- I say it again -- the President simply cannot imagine that the Senate would leave town, and go on recess, while leaving the economy in recession. It's too important to the unemployed workers of this country, and to the economic strength of our country, that an agreement be reached. And that's why the President has called on Senate leaders and the congressional leaders to get their job done.
Q But if they fail to reach agreement on a broader stimulus package, will the President at least request extension of unemployment for 13 weeks?
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, I'm not going to engage in hypothetical guesses. The Senate has a job to do. The President wants to help the Senate to get it done this week.
THE PRESS: Thank you.
MR. FLEISCHER: Thank you.
END 1:10 P.M. EST