White House: No debt deal yet with Republicans
By Associated Press
Jul 31, 2011 8:45 AM CDT
The White House is seen early Sunday, July 31, 2011, in Washington as the debt crisis continues. White House officials and congressional leadership will continue working Sunday to reach a potential end to their bitter debt limit showdown, raising hopes that a deal could be in place by Tuesday to avert...   (Associated Press)

A top White House official says "we don't have a deal" between President Barack Obama and Republicans in Congress to avoid a crippling default.

But senior White House adviser David Plouffe (pluhf) tells NBC's "Meet the Press" that both sides are generally in agreement on an emerging package that would cut the deficit in two stages, with key details still being worked out.

Plouffe suggests that negotiations are still focused on how to compel Congress to approve a deficit-cutting plan of tax and entitlement reform later this year.

Obama is adamant that the nation's debt limit be extended into 2013 without being tied to that vote. Republicans want the debt limit to be the "trigger" to force Congress to act.