'Cliff' talks: White House waiting on GOP move

Stephanie Cutter, who was Obama's deputy campaign manager, said in the email that the president was trying to get Congress to "do the right thing and act before the New Year, but he needs our help. We've got a good track record here: When we make our voices heard and urge Congress to take action — whether it's about health care, student loans, Wall Street reform, or 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' — they listen."

Republican leaders have said they accept higher tax revenue overall, but only through what they call tax reform closing loopholes and limiting deductions and only coupled with tough measures to curb the explosive growth of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

"If we gave the president $1.6 trillion of new money, what do you think he'd do with it?" asked Boehner. "He's going to spend it. It's what Washington does."

Cole didn't back down Sunday on his earlier comments that Republicans should agree to Obama's plan for continuing Bush's tax rates for middle-class America and focus the negotiations on the other issues. Doing so, he said, would make the GOP position even stronger.

"The reality is, nobody can look at this budget and think if you don't reform entitlements you can balance it. You can give the president every tax increase he's asked for, you'd still be in the hole," he said.

Geithner appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation," NBC's "Meet the Press," CNN's "State of the Union," ABC's "This Week" and "Fox News Sunday." Cole appeared on ABC "This Week."

Associated Press writers Mark S. Smith and Ken Thomas in Washington and Erik Schelzig in Nashville, Tenn., contributed to this report.