Clinton Calls on Obama Not to 'Blink' on Debt-Ceiling Deal with GOP

By Ronald Brownstein
National Journal
Updated: July 2, 2011 | 9:49 p.m.

ASPEN, Colo.—Former President Clinton on Saturday night urged President Obama not to “blink” at Republican demands to exclude revenue increases from any agreement to extend the government’s debt ceiling.

If Republicans maintain their opposition to revenue increases, Clinton said, Obama should pursue a short-term deal to extend the debt ceiling based on spending cuts both sides have already accepted in the negotiations between the administration and congressional leaders from both parties.

“I hope they will make a mini-deal,” Clinton said in an interview at the Aspen Ideas Festival here.

The White House and congressional negotiators from both parties are attempting to assemble a deficit reduction package that could win support in Congress for legislation to extend the nation’s debt ceiling, which the Treasury says the government will reach on August 2. The talks have foundered amid demands from congressional Republicans to exclude any revenue increases from that prospective deficit reduction package.

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