U.S. President Barack Obama holds a press conference about negotiating with the House Republican on government shutdown

President Obama holds a press conference with the White House press corps and says he spoke with Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) telling him he is willing to negotiate, but only after the "threat of government shutdown and default have been removed." Obama says "the American people do not get to demand a ransom for doing their jobs..." He answers reporters' questions on the government shutdown, campaign finance, terrorism and Navy SEAL operations in Somalia and Libya, cancelling his trade trip to Asia, Republican bills to open critical departments in the government, and the 2011 negotiations on the debt ceiling. Obama says that until two years ago, no Congress had ever seriously considered not raising the debt ceiling. Obama says, "(We) shouldn't have to get permission from a few irresponsible members of Congress every couple months just to keep government open."