Payroll Tax Cut Extension: Senate Rejects Democratic Plan

"Get it done. If not, maybe we'll have a white Christmas here in Washington," the president said in an appearance before reporters in which he accused GOP leaders in Congress of "wanting to dicker, wanting to see what they can extract from us in order to get this done."

At its core, the emerging House bill would extend the existing Social Security payroll tax cut at the heart of Obama's jobs program, through 2012.

It also would renew an expiring benefit program for the long-term unemployed the president also favors, although at a reduced level from current law.

Obama drew a somewhat indistinct line on Wednesday when he said,"efforts to tie a whole bunch of other issues to what's something that they should be doing anyway will be rejected by me."