WASHINGTON, DC — DECEMBER 05: A middle class tax increase countdown clock is seen behind White House Press Secretary Jay Carney as he briefs reporters after President Barack Obamamade a statement in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Dec. 5, 2011. (AP Photo)

Go to the White House website and you are greeted by the same countdown clock.

Flashback 4/14/2011:

(Politico) — Budget director Jack Lew paid a visit to the briefing room today in service to keeping the dialogue going on President Obama’s big deficit speech.

He was asked about the upcoming fight over the nation’s debt ceiling and said that, really — that is a separate issue. Oh? Someone should tell Congress.

“One of the very encouraging things about the leadership meeting yesterday was that all parties agreed that it’s unthinkable that the United States would not be able to meet its obligations on its debt,” Lew said.

“That’s why we have said these issues shouldn’t be connected, the debt limit should just be extended and we need to have this urgent debate on our fiscal condition,” he said.

“It will be a very bad thing if all of the cable TV stations have countdown clocks to government default,” Lew said.