can be attached to a plan to cut the deficit but says she won t let the country s bar rowing authority lapse. senate budget committee chairman kent conrad says the deficit and dealt ceiling plan don t have to be attached but they have to be close together. i will not support any long-term extension of the debt without a plan or a proposal or a process in place to deal with the debt. reporter: the white house has strongly warned against tying legislation that might be voted down to the debt ceiling, which officials say must be raised to keep the country from default. our reaction is it s a terrible idea. because it would so imperil the american economy, drive up interest rates. could tach the global economy. reporter: a new fox poll indicates very little support from increasing the debt ceiling without deficit reduction plan and as much support for letting the country default as raising the dealt creeling with the deficit plan. red state democrats are especially sensitive. west