Government shutdown starts with House Democratic microphone

Midway through a Friday afternoon debate over whether the Federal Communications Commission should be allowed to regulate the Internet, the microphone in the Democratic side shut down, a possibly ominous sign given that the entire federal government is headed toward a shutdown unless a spending deal is reached.

As the microphone began sputtering and dying, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) offered Democrats the use of the Republican microphone, but not without pointing out the dangers of government-run technology.

"When you have government-run microphones and Internet, you can have a problem," he quipped. "We're for open and free microphones, they're welcome to use our podium as well."

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) shot back in jest, "It appears the only microphone that's not working is on the Democratic side in this Republican-controlled House of Representatives."

Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) was the first Democrat to make his way to the Republican microphone. "The microphone in the well on the Democratic side has shut down, so I will use the microphone on the Republican side," he explained.