it does not sound like a ringing endorsement, but it does seem to be the plan with the most momentum at this point..
From transcript:
BOB SCHIEFFER: And, good morning again. We start with White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley. Mister Daley, the Republican Speaker John Boehner now seems to be thinking of a two-part plan here. First, Congress would agree to cut spending over the next ten years by a trillion dollars and raise the debt limit enough to meet the country's financial obligations for the end of the year. Then a twelve person bipartisan committee would be formed to find three trillion dollars more in savings by making significant cuts in Medicare and Social Security and overhauling the tax code. Congress would then take another vote to raise the debt limit before the 2012 election. Democrats and the White House have already said there will be no short-term increase. You said that yourself. But Speaker Boehner just now appeared on Fox News Sunday and said it had to be two stages. Here's what he said.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER (Fox News): There is going to be a-- a two-stage process. It's not physically possible to do all of this in one step. And having said that, Chris, I know the President's worried about his next election. But my god, shouldn't we be worried about the country?
BOB SCHIEFFER: So there you are, Mister Daley. Your turn.
WILLIAM DALEY (White House Chief of Staff): Well, I think the two steps process, because the Congress could not deal with serious budget deficit action, Speaker Boehner had walked away twice from a deal with the President which would have finally begun a serious attempt to cut spending and address the deficit. The President's position is, yes, let's move forward. If there's two steps, fine. But do not have a step in the second part that lets the political system once again show its dysfunction. Get this deficit ceiling put off till after the election in thirteen. But more importantly than putting that off and giving certainty and lifting the cloud of default is begin a serious discussion and action on the deficit. That's what the American people want to see.
July 24, 2011 12:34 PM
"Face the Nation" transcript: July 24, 2011