Bill Clinton praises Republicans’ budget message

WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton paid a backhanded complim꧟ent to Republicans Sunday amid the budget bat🏅tle that could force a government shutdown in one week.

Asked on CNN’s “Fareed Zakari🏅a GPS” whether he was worried about the future of ꦐthe Democratic Party, he said he wasn’t.

“We’ve got a lot of good ideas,” Clinto🌞n said. “But I think you’ve got to give it to the Republicans: They have a much more reliable media base, and they just say no.”

He also praised the GOP for its consistency.

“They know what they want. They want power to cut taxes, eliminate regulations, take government down — except for wha꧃t they like💙 — and they can fill the atmosphere with a lot of static.”

Preside🍃nt Obama faces a standoff with House Republicans, who last week passed a spending bilꦚl that would keep the government open but defund his Affordable Care health plan.

Obama and Senate Democrats flatly refuse to bargain over the health-c🌌are law, which iဣs widely unpopular with voters but remains the president’s signature legislative accomplishment.

The government will shut down on Oct. 1 if the president and Repub🐬licans🍸 can’t strike a deal.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz urged his GOP colleagues to filibuster if Senate Democrats try to strip out the me꧑asure to defund ObamaCare from the House bill.

“We should stand our ground,” Cr𒁏uz said on “Fox News Sunday.” “It’s now our turn to unify, to stand together with House Republicans.”“Somebody may know, but I don’t. I’m not one of the people who does,” he said.

House Minority Leader Nanc꧑y Pelosi (D-Calif.) also pointed to her party’s failure to effectively communicate with Americans in the fight over ObamaCare.

“It’s about wellness, it’s about prevention, it’s about a healthier America,” she said on♈ CNN’s “State of the Union” “Has that message gotten out? Obviously nꦚot adequately.”

Clinton said that the political debate is “a little tougher” for Democrats, but he remained optimistic abo💎ut the party.

“It’s a li𓂃ttle tougher for us, but I feel pretty good about where we are and where we’re going. Demographically, the country is moving toward not liberal, but communitarian solutions — we’re all i🧔n this together solution,” he said.

Clinton had less insight about whether hi💫s wif🔯e was running for president, claiming he wasn’t in the loop for that decision.