Continued coverage of President Obama's statement:

After saying he is willing to sign the McConnell plan that would require him to take the responsibility of raising the debt limit, Obama adds: "I cannot believe Congress would be that irresponsible that they would not send to me a package that avoids a self inflicted wound when things are so difficult." He's at least calling for a clean bill here.

This "was not the usual food fight between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats have stepped up in ways that were not politically beneficial."

Speaking of Republicans: "What this comes down to is they don't seem to have the capacity to say yes."

The above quote (GOP doesn't have a capacity to say yes) is the answer he gives to the question he posed earlier. And based on all available evidence, it seems clearly true.

This is a long (but fascinating) press briefing. "I will sign an extension of the debt ceiling that takes us through 2013. [...] I would like to see us to do more [...] But if that's the best they [Congress] can do, I will sign that extension and go to the American people."

About Boehner not taking his phone call earlier today, Obama is typically measured: "I'm less concerned about me having to wait for my phone call to be returned than I am about the answer I got."

"I remain confident that we will get an extension of the debt limit and that we will not default... I am less confident that people will step up to the plate and deal with the underlying problem of debt and deficits...I mean the debt ceiling is formality...It was raised 18 times while Ronald Reagan was president...that's the easy part. We should have done it six months ago. The hard part is dealing with the underlying debt and deficits."

Obama says he gets letters from people across the spectrum asking for deficit reduction to ask for shared sacrifice, for fairness, for it to not just target seniors, or children, or poor people.

"For us to not be keeping those folks in mind every single day...to be more worried about what some funder says or what some talk show host says...or worried about a primary fight...for us to be thinking in those terms instead of those folks is just inexcusable."

President Obama has wrapped up perhaps the most dramatic news conference of his presidency. (As for statements, nothing will beat the Osama bin Laden one, of course.) To recap: Boehner is out of talks in the big deal. Obama is now talking about the big deal in the past tense. He is insisting on the debt limit being raised, even if it's a clean debt limit extension.

Apparently Boehner will offer his response on camera soon. My prediction: his statement will contain the word "No" at least twice in the first two minutes.

Foxers seem pissed off. Complaining that Obama was playing the blame game. Proving, I guess, that assholes don't like it when you point out that they are, you know, assholes.

Hahahaha! Now the dipshits on Fox are worried that Obama offended Republicans so much that the GOP will take their ball and go home and let the debt limit fail. So because Boehner's feelings get hurt, he'll deny everybody Social Security checks and destroy the economy? As I said, assholes. Fucking assholes.

Krauthammer on Obama: "Who does he think he is?" My answer: He thinks he's the President of the United States. And he's trying to save its economy from your team.