WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says it may take a couple of weeks or a couple of months to reach a deal to end Washington's battle over spending cuts.
The president spoke after meeting with congressional leaders at the White House on $85 billion in automatic spending cuts that go into effect Friday.
Obama says the cuts are "dumb and arbitrary" and he blamed them on Republicans in Congress.
Obama says he can't do a "Jedi mind meld" with Republican leaders and persuade them to do what he believes is right when it comes to trimming federal spending.
Asked if he could refuse to allow Republican leaders of the House and Senate to leave a White House meeting until a budget agreement was reached, Obama said that's not how a constitutional form of government works.
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