This is it. This is what I have been boring you about for weeks. The last major sticking point in the budget battle. De-funding Planned Parenthood. Jake Tapper

His meeting with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., having concluded, President Obama came to the White House briefing room this evening to report “additional progress” had been made and “differences have been narrowed.”

But outstanding issues remain, he cautioned, ones so important – to both sides – the president said he wouldn’t express “wild optimism” that there will be a deal.

Democratic sources tell ABC News that things “feel better now” in terms of a deal being cut, but the major sticking point remains the GOP rider prohibiting any federal funding to Planned Parenthood or any of its affiliates.

This is what was always going to come down to. Numbers are negotiable and no number under discussion would come any where near fixing the problem or making a real difference. Defunding Planned Parenthood can make a real difference. It can save lives. It is the only thing that matters in this debate.

The Republicans must stick to their guns on this matter or they walk away with nothing after all this, morally AND politically. If Obama is willing to shut down the Gov’t over PP, then so be it. If the Republicans will be unfairly blamed for the shutdown, then so be it. This is the only thing that matters and this opportunity may never come again. Now is the time. There is no other.

Kill Planned Parenthood now. If they cave, I am done with them and so will many others. Do it, do it now.