A Republican Ransom Note  —  On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew sent the House a very serious warning that, for the first time, the United States would be unable to pay its bills beginning on Oct. 17 if the debt ceiling is not lifted.  House leaders responded on Thursday …

Democrat Manchin Breaks Ranks to Back Mandate Delay  —  U.S. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia broke ranks with fellow Democrats and said he'd support a stopgap spending plan that delays the individual mandate in President Barack Obama's health-care law.  —  “There's no way I could not vote for it …

Corker takes on Cruz as GOP feuding moves to the Senate floor  —  Feuding in the Republican conference moved to the Senate floor on Thursday as Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) accused two colleagues of risking a government shutdown as a publicity stunt.  —  “The reason you don't want to send …

White House says it isn't behind ‘Adorable Care Act’  —  It would have been a clever move for the White House or Organizing for Action to turn to cute animals and social media to try to draw attention to the start of the Affordable Care Act's registration period.

Shutdown Forecast: 50-50  —  NOTABLES  — LOOKING FOR PROGRESS IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES: On “Good Morning America” today ABC's JONATHAN KARL put the chances of a shutdown — or a catastrophic default — at 50-50.  “As that clock ticks down toward shutdown there is no real sign of progress anywhere,” Karl said.