President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner have had five years of fights and negotiations to learn how to work together. But today, their relationship is as sour as it's ever been. While closer ties might not solve the shutdown, the mutual suspicion and mistrust aren't helping.

Millions of people have shopped for insurance on the new marketplaces called exchanges since opening day on Tuesday. Officials said it was evidence of high interest. Others criticized the fumbling start, which involved computer glitches, saying the Affordable Care Act was not ready for prime time. Renee Montagne and David Greene talk to NPR's Mara Liasson and Molly Ball, of The Atlantic, about the politicking around the new health law.

President Obama's already shortened trip to Asia was canceled Thursday, the White House calling it a casualty of the government shutdown. The White House said Obama personally called the leaders of Indonesia and Brunei to deliver the news.

The GOP-led House passed a bill to temporarily fund the National Guard and Reserve, one of the series of smaller spending bills they've used to try to shift blame for the shutdown to Democrats. The Senate, controlled by Democrats, rebuffed it.

Polls may show most Americans are unhappy about the shutdown, but for members of the Tea Party and other conservatives, the current clash over the Affordable Care Act is essential.

As a result of the government shutdown, members of Congress have been forced to take on some additional responsibilities this week — the kinds of tasks typically handled by junior staffers and interns.

Audie Cornish speaks with Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, who chairs the House Republican Conference, about the government shutdown and the next steps to moving forward to get to a resolution.

The government shutdown standoff continued Thursday, with the House Republicans continuing to pass small spending bills for specific programs, and the Senate Democrats reminding them that a single House vote would let all programs be funded immediately.

Mellissa Block talks to Democratic Senator Mark Begich about the government shutdown and what room, if any, there is for a compromise.

Conservatives have driven the debate and the showdown in Washington this week. But even as national polls have shown strong public disapproval of the government shutdown, conservative media outlets — on the air, on cable, and on the Internet — have provided a voice of support for Republicans on the Hill and created a like-minded community for their audience.