Obama urges budget talks: Says lawmakers must return if no agreement

In a public prod at Congress, President Obama said on Tuesday the White House and Republicans were "closer than ever" on a budget agreement and warned "it would be inexcusable for us" to fail "simply because of politics."

In an unscheduled appearance in the White House briefing room, Obama turned up the heat on lawmakers whom he met with earlier in the day in a bid to win agreement on a spending plan. Noting that Senate leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, were scheduled to meet later this afternoon, and chose not to include the White House team, Obama said: "If they can't sort it out then I want them back here tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll invite them back the next day."

He also rejected another short-term agreement for keep the government running past Friday.

"That is not the way to run a budget," Obama said.

"The only question is whether politics and ideology is going to get in the way of preventing a government shutdown," Obama added. The economy would suffer "if there is a disruption."