>>> couple other notes tonight. while bickering over this, washington politicians haven't suspended their own evident to retape their own jobs. both parties collected almost a billion dollars in the first half of the year according to federal records . tonight they were scheduled to raise more at a big gala for the republican national committee in a government building not far from the capitol. speaker boehner was supposed to attend and cancelled. the gop turned to newt gingrich who spearheaded the last shutdown 17 years ago. democrats have their own big ticket event next week at the fair mont hotel in san francisco featuring house minority leader nancy pelosi and special guest michelle obama .