"I’ve said before that I felt that the middle-class tax cuts were being held hostage to the high-end tax cuts."

"I think it’s tempting not to negotiate with hostage-takers, unless the hostage gets harmed. Then people will question the wisdom of that strategy. In this case, the hostage was the American people, and I was not willing to see them get harmed."

Hey, Obama? Can I get the keys to the car so I can drive it somewhere where I won't have to listen to your metaphors?