For days, the assumption has been that Speaker John A. Boehner was dug into his hardened position on behalf of the conservatives in his House caucus and from socially conservative voices in the Republican Party.

But now — just hours before the first government shutdown in 15 years –some of the most vocal conservatives are urging Republicans to reach a deal before a shutdown occurs. That could give Mr. Boehner the political cover he needs to cut a deal with President Obama and the Democrats.

Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, the founder of the Tea Party caucus in the House and a likely 2012 presidential candidate, tweeted Friday afternoon: “I am ready for a big fight that will change the arc of history. The current fight in Washington is not that fight.”

In an article on Redstate, Ms. Bachmann concludes that “the current battle has devolved to an agenda that is almost too limited to warrant the kind of fighting that we’re now seeing in Washington.”

Likewise, Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and a possible presidential candidate, said Friday afternoon in an interview that a shutdown would “hurt the Republicans, not the Democrats.”

Source: NYT

6:48 p.m. ET - From CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent: A Senate Democratic source said they actually have several different versions drafted of a short term measure to keep the government running: a 3 day “clean,” a 1 week that funds the troops and more.

But I’m told no decision has been made and they’re “keeping their options open” on what to do, and when to do it. It all depends on how the talks for the long term bill go over the next several hours.