There were some questions about whether the President would veto Boehner's bill since he did not explicitly call for a veto in last night's speech. Now, we can put those questions to rest since the WH advisors have recommended that the President veto the Boehner bill.
DEFINITELY NO DEAL: President Obama is likely to veto House Speaker John Boehner's deficit bill if it somehow makes it to his desk, the White House says.
Here's the White House's announcement of "administration policy" Tuesday afternoon:
"The Administration strongly opposes House passage of the amendment in the nature of a substitute to S. 627. If S. 627 is presented to the President, the President’s senior advisors would recommend that he veto this bill."
Just moments before the announcement, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters that the administration didn't need to threaten a veto because Boehner's bill wouldn't be able to pass the Senate.
Okay, let's say the Boehner bill doesn't pass the House or if it does pass the House, and doesn't pass the Senate. What does Reid do then? Take a House bill, shell it out to insert his bill, and send it to the House to vote on? And if the House doesn't get enough votes for the Reid plan?
Then where are we? Carney in the WH press briefing ruled out the President using the 14th amendment.
So, then we go into a default? Would the pressure from a temporary default force the Republicans to rethink, and perhaps do a clean debt ceiling bill or agree to the President's "grand bargain?"
UPDATE: Republicans' Reaction
REACTION: Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck emailed reporters: “The House plan is the only one with a pathway to the President’s desk, and we appreciate his apparent willingness to sign it. By signing the House bill, the President could quickly end the crisis atmosphere he’s created and demonstrate he’s serious about cutting spending.”
Read more after the jump ...
Reduce...
A GOP aide who asked not to be named emailed reporters: "Hey folks – as you may have seen by now, there are apparently some advisors running around the White House who think the President should veto the House’s two-step plan. (I wonder, political or economic advisors?) Either way, this statement below is remarkable for two reasons: 1) It offers no justification for the opposition, and 2) it’s actually NOT a veto threat. While clearly trying to lend a hand to the failing effort to pass the Senate bill, it leaves wide open the potential for the President to sign the House plan – as the Speaker suggested he should last night. In many ways, this SAP sums up this entire debate, with the White House unable to justify its position and unwilling to stake out a bottom line."