President Barack Obama and Republicans crept closer to negotiations on avoiding a recession-threatening package of automatic tax increases and spending cuts, but the White House reaffirmed it would not budge on demands for higher taxes the wealthy.

With a new AP-GFK poll showing clear support for Obama's position and dwindling backing for cutting government services to curb the climbing U.S. budget deficit, the president and House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner spoke by telephone Wednesday for the first time in days about a way to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff.

The telephone contact, disclosed by a Boehner spokesman, raises the possibility that negotiations could soon resume on heading off what some economists warn could be a serious blow to an economy still recovering from the Great Recession.

So far, Republican leaders have said they would only agree to higher tax revenues by closing loopholes or reducing tax breaks, not by raising rates as demanded by Obama. The opposition has struggled, however, to remain united and find its footing in talks with a president emboldened by his November election victory and unified congressional Democrats.

While insisting that tax rates go up on the top 2 percent of American earners, Obama, too, has called for government spending cuts but by less than the Republicans want.

Obama, addressing business leaders Wednesday, said the White House and Republicans could reach an agreement "in about a week" if the Republicans drop their opposition to raising taxes on families making more than $250,000 a year.

"If we can get the leadership on the Republican side to take that framework, to acknowledge that reality, than the numbers actually aren't that far apart," Obama said.

Administration officials are hardening their warnings that Obama is willing to risk going over the cliff. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Wednesday that the Obama administration is "absolutely" ready for that risky step.