Obama calls for stopgap tax deal; GOP says Democrats need to work with them President Obama urged Congress on Saturday to at least pass a short-term measure that would avert major tax increases for most Americans in the new year while continuing to press for a comprehensive deal to avoid the imminent fiscal cliff of severe budget cuts and tax increases. "Congress can prevent it from happening, if they act now," Obama said in his weekly radio address. Leaders in Congress are working on a way to prevent this tax hike on the middle class, and I believe we may be able to reach an agreement that can pass both houses in time. Obama added that "if an agreement isn't reached in time, then I'll urge the Senate to hold an up-or-down vote on a basic package that protects the middle class from an income tax hike, extends vital unemployment insurance for Americans looking for a job and lays the groundwork for future progress on more economic growth and deficit reduction." In the Republicans" radio address on Saturday, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said the onus was on Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) to formulate a deal that can muster bipartisan support. "We still can avoid going over the fiscal cliff if the president and the Democrat-controlled Senate step forward this week and work with Republicans to solve this problem and solve it now," said Blunt. Senior aides to Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) were planning to meet Saturday afternoon to resume negotiations. No further announcements were likely until Sunday afternoon when leaders would present the results of their talks to their respective party caucuses, a Democratic aide said. After arriving on Capitol Hill on Saturday afternoon, McConnell was asked if senators will be able to strike a deal today. He smiled and responded, "I hope so." The main sticking points in the talks remain where to set the threshold for extending the George W. Bush era tax cuts and lowering the exemption on estate taxes. The White House announced Saturday that Obama will appear on "Meet the Press" on Sunday morning. It will be only the second that Obama has been on the NBC News show as president; the last being in 2009 during the health-care reform debate. Sunday's appearance allows him to keep the pressure on Congress as talks on a deal enter their final hours. Senate leaders appeared to be on the verge of an agreement Friday that would let taxes rise on the wealthiest households while protecting the vast majority of Americans from historic tax hikes set to hit in January. As the Senate began haggling over critical details, the emerging deal faced an uncertain fate in the House, where Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) failed just one week ago to persuade his adamantly anti-tax caucus to let taxes rise even for millionaires. Still, on Friday, Obama pronounced himself "modestly optimistic" at a brief news conference at the White House. The ordinarily dour McConnell said he was "hopeful and optimistic." And Reid immediately began preparing Senate Democrats for what could be a difficult vote.