Washington (CNN) - In a meeting to discuss the status of debt talks with reporters in his Capitol Hill office today House Speaker John Boehner said, ““What the President is asking us to do just won’t pass.” Of the White House he insisted, “The only thing they’ve been firm on is these damn tax increases.”

The Speaker believes the broad set of options discussed during the daily White House meetings would not muster enough support within his caucus because they would raise taxes and demand smaller, less meaningful cuts than needed.

Asked to respond to the Speaker’s comments White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer says “The President is ready, willing and able to make the tough choices on entitlements, but you can’t have a balanced approach that is good for the country if you are unwilling to ask the wealthy and special interests to pay their fair share, unfortunately that is the Republican position right now – seniors, middle class families, and college students should sacrifice, but not the wealthiest”
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