Boehner: 2-Step Deal the Only Choice

John Boehner was a late addition to Fox News Sunday today, and painted a two-step deal as the only alternative left. "It's not physically possible to do all of this in one step," Boehner told Chris Wallace, advocating a short-term fix through early next year; President Obama has vowed to veto any deal that doesn't extend to 2013. "I know the president is worried about his next re-election, but, my God, shouldn’t we be worried about the country?" Boehner said. The speaker said he'll put forth a plan based on the House's Cap, Cut, and Balance plan, and said Republicans are "prepared to move on our own." He added that his last offer to the White House of $800 billion in revenue was "still on the table." Elsewhere on the Sunday debt-ceiling dial, as per Politico:

• Tim Geithner floats new grand plan: "Both of those are on the table," he said of the so-called "grand bargain" and the McConnell backup plan being advanced in the Senate. "Now, they could be combined in various forms."
• Tim Pawlenty thinks Obama is 'chicken:' "If you're the leader of the free world, would you please come to microphone and quit hiding in the basement about your proposals, and come on up and address the American people? Is he chicken?"
• Bill Daley on a two-step deal: "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 ceiling put off until after the election."
• Tom Coburn on Obama's veto threat: "I think that's a ridiculous position because that's what he's going to get presented with. That's the... way through that's going to build a compromise."

(More John Boehner stories.)