american people and i was not willing to see them get harmed. >> the president's side of the ledger affects 156 million people in our country. those initiatives are being held hostage. >> the american people are outraged that the republicans are holding hostage two million unemployed workers. >> the fact of the matter is, republicans were holding middle class taxes hostage. >> do you allow yourself to be held hostage and get something done for the sake of getting something done when, in fact, it might be perverse in its ultimate result? it's almost like the question of do you negotia...