WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama, conceding that a "grand bargain" for deficit reduction with House Speaker John Boehner is unlikely, called Friday for Congress to approve a stripped-down measure by year's end to prevent a tax increase for all but the richest taxpayers and to extend aid for 2 million unemployed Americans. "That's an achievable goal; that can get done in 10 days," Mr. Obama said to reporters during a hastily scheduled evening appearance in the White House briefing room. "Call me a hopeless optimist, but I actually think we can get this done." The president, who took no questions, read his statement just after a brief phone conversation with Mr. Boehner and a...
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