Boehner: Obama’s demanding surrender, GOP refuses

Evan Vucci / AP

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio pauses while speaking about the ongoing budget battle, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013, outside his office on Capitol Hill in Washington.

By Laurie Kellman, Associated Press

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013 | 2:26 p.m.

WASHINGTON — House Speaker John Boehner says President Barack Obama is demanding the GOP surrender the budget and debt limit fight unconditionally, but Republicans won't do it.

The Ohio Republican was responding to Obama's statement earlier saying he would discuss anything Republicans want, including proposed changes to "Obamacare," but not under the threat of "economic chaos." He urged Boehner to hold a vote immediately to reopen the government and to allow the country to borrow more money. Boehner is insisting instead that the two sides start negotiating now on the terms of any budget or debt agreement, saying attaching other measures is a long-held practice.

They spoke with the government's partial shutdown in its eighth day. An even bigger financial crisis looms next week when the government reaches its borrowing limit.