Boehner: Democrats hindering Obama in debt-ceiling talks

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Monday that the president isn't spending enough time on fixing the economy, and claimed that Democratic lawmakers have hindered the president's position in talks to raise the debt limit.

Asked if President Obama is spending "enough" time on fixing the economy, Boehner said, "It doesn't appear that way.

"I've been pressing the president all year to go big, and let's go do what we know needs to be done," Boehner said. He said he told the president, "Let's forget about the next election. You forget yours and I'll forget mine."

Boehner's comments followed a weekend of White House-led meetings on the deficit.

Boehner characterized Obama's position in the deficit talks as being hindered by his own party's politics. 

According to Boehner, over the past weekend the president seriously weighed many of the requirements that Republicans have identified as prerequisites for raising the debt ceiling. 

Boehner has endorsed the idea of increasing the number of taxpayers rather than increasing taxes, which would mean "more revenue without tax hikes," he said.

Ultimately, the president couldn't agree to the Republican ideas.

"In order to keep his party from abandoning him, he had to have more revenues," Boehner told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham.

At that point, Boehner said, "I finally decided on Saturday night to walk away from the big deal."

Last weekend, Republicans reduced their goal of $4 trillion to $2.4 trillion in spending cuts. Boehner said Sunday that he believed a smaller package was "the most viable option at this time for moving forward," according to a House aide.

The president, vice president, and Republican and Democrat leaders from both chambers of Congress are expected to meet at 2 p.m. in the White House to continue discussing the debt ceiling.