Boehner Tells Senate GOP He is Optimistic, Should Know if Debt Deal Can be Reached by Sunday

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, just left the conservative Senate Steering Committee lunch where he told members he is optimistic that a deal can be struck with the president on the debt ceiling.

Lunch attendee, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said he is now more optimistic after hearing from the speaker.

"My sense is we'll know one way or another whether there will be "a grand bargain" by this weekend," Corker said.

"I think the world and all of us will know something very shortly," Corker said. "They'll either have a 'grand bargain' or they won't."

Corker added that everyone should know by Sunday or sooner.

"I get the sense that the speaker believes that everything's on the table," Corker added, though he said they did not discuss details.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, also a lunch attendee, echoed the sentiment that everyone will know "very soon" whether or not a deal can be hammered out.