There are now just eight days remaining until the self-imposed federal budget sequester becomes reality.

Still, Wednesday was the first time President Obama called congressional leaders to talk about the $85 billion in automatic spending cuts. He has repeatedly blasted Congress and said it never should have gotten to this point.

But a high-ranking Democrat said the White House is partially to blame.

"The president is part of the sequester," Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., said. "I mean, the White House recommended it, frankly, back in August 2011, and so now we're feeling the effects of it."

"I don't want to say the president is solely to blame; he's not," Baucus added. "It's both the president and Congress and the president and the speaker who put together this deal."

This week, the Pentagon announced it will furlough most of its 800,000-strong civilian workforce if the cuts happen.