"Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace said he thinks an impending government shutdown "could last awhile" without "either side backing down quickly."

The perspective from the news veteran comes as the federal government approaches a shutdown Friday night.

The House passed a funding bill late Thursday, but Senate Democrats have vowed to defeat the measure. Republicans need 60 votes in the Senate to avert a shutdown, which means nine Democrats would be needed to overcome a filibuster.

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"They're busy in spin cycle right now. It looks so much like a shutdown that both sides are going to be making their case that it's the other side's fault. Maybe one side will blink before midnight but it sure doesn't look that way," Wallace said on Fox's "America's Newsroom", adding, "There's never been a government shutdown when there is unified government, one-party control of Washington."

"It's one of the reasons why I think this shutdown could last for awhile because both sides see it to their political advantage," Wallace also said.

“What’s a while?” co-anchor Sandra Smith asked Wallace.

“The last shutdown [in 2013] lasted 16 days,” Wallace noted. “That’s awhile.”

Wallace added later in the discussion that one other possibility is for both sides to agree to "a four- or five-day extension and keep everybody in town, and let’s work and try to solve this problem."

“But if you don’t get that, then I don’t know how you get off a shutdown," he concluded. "Once you’ve shut down the government, somebody is going to have to back down, and I don’t see either side backing down quickly.”

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerVideo of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral Graham signals support for confirming a Supreme Court nominee this year Pelosi orders Capitol flags at half-staff to honor Ginsburg MORE (D-N.Y.) is meeting with President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE at the invitation of the president this afternoon.

The meeting will only involve Schumer and Trump with no other Republican and Democratic lawmakers present.