rare, sort of, break in this gridlock up here that's been locking capitol hill for nearly three years. john and marci? >> jeff also points out there that republicans are gearing up for the midterm congressional election, so they're really trying to be seen as bipartisan problem-solvers. that's their focus. they want to seem as even as possible. >> absolutely. the last shutdown did not go well in the polling. at this stage of the game they want to focus on inadequacicies they see in obamacare and prevent a shutdown. at the white house, the obamas hosted the president of france at a state dinner. the couple gave francois hollande the red carpet treatment after he arrived alone after the messy breakup with his long-time girlfriend. the protocol experts solved that problem by sitting hollande between the president and mrs. obama. wall street likes what it is hearing from the federal reserve. new fed chief janet yellen made