Obama Calls On GOP To Compromise In News Conference

The Associated Press reports:

President Barack Obama declared on Monday there would be no deal on raising the government's debt limit if Republicans won't compromise, and he said he would not sign a short-term extension — raising the stakes on volatile negotiations with the clock ticking toward an Aug. 2 deadline.

"I don't see a path to a deal if they don't budge. Period," the president said in a challenge to his political opponents, accusing Republicans of having a "my way or the highway" posture.

Asked whether or not he would veto legislation temporarily increasing the debt ceiling, the president said: "I will not sign a 30-day, or 60-day, or 90-day extension."

"This is the United States of America. And, you know, we don't manage our affairs in three-month increments," he said.

But even before Obama was finished speaking, Republicans were disagreeing with his insistence that a deficit-trimming deal include cutbacks in tax breaks for the wealthy and some big corporations. While the news conference was under way, House Speaker John Boehner's office sent two emails to his news list saying tax hikes never should have been in the discussion.

The president warned that failure to reach agreement could create another recession and throw millions of Americans out of work, painting a picture of catastrophe if a partisan stalemate is not broken and Congress fails to act. He criticized politicians who say the debt ceiling doesn't need to be raised.