*Close to a debt deal?

The White House has told Democratic Congressional leaders that President Obama and Speaker John Boehner were near an agreement that would enact substantial spending cuts and seek future revenues through a tax overhaul, the NYT is reporting.

With the government staring at a potential default in less than two weeks, the officials said the administration on Wednesday night notified top members of Congress that a bargain with Mr. Boehner could be imminent. The Congressional leaders, whose help Mr. Obama would need to bring a compromise forward, were told that the new revenue tied to the looming agreement to increase the debt limit by Aug. 2 would be produced in 2012 through a tax code rewrite that would lower individual and corporate rates, close loopholes, end tax breaks and make other adjustments to produce revenue gains.

The top honchos haven't been saying much in recent days, mostly because any hints of what's in the package would be used by the opposition.

*WH spokesman says they're not close to a debt deal. The NYT piece is citing sources from Congressional Democrats, who have a tendency to jump the gun.