Obama gave a press conference this morning where he spoke about the debt ceiling and gun rights, among other topics. (Check out the full press conference above.)

Painting a grim picture of the economic fallout, President Obama warned Republicanson Capitol Hill not to use the federal debt limit as leverage to win budget cuts and accused them of threatening to “blow up the economy.”

“They can act responsibly and pay America's bills or they can act irresponsibly and put America through another economic crisis,” Obama said at a news conference Monday. “But they will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the American economy.”

The formal news conference in the East Room, likely last of his first term in office, was announced unexpectedly Monday morning and was more evidence of the White House’s eagerness to try to capitalize on what it sees as the president’s advantage as the next round of budget negotiations begins.

 

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