Source: Obama and Boehner speak for first time in a week
Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner spoke on the phone Wednesday afternoon, according to a source familiar with the call.
The conversation, the first between the two in a week, did not result in a breakthrough in the ongoing "fiscal cliff" stalemate.
According to one source familiar with the conversation, Republicans have not agreed to move on tax rate increases for the top 2% of income earners, a point the Obama administration considers non-negotiable.
CNN's GUT CHECK for December 5, 2012
CNN's GUT CHECK | for December 5, 2012 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle
THEY'RE LEAVING: LAWMAKERS' LONG WEEKEND… With the nation heading full steam toward the $7 trillion fiscal cliff, the House of Representatives is taking a break without a deal in place yet to avert the mix of steep spending cuts and tax increases set to take effect in a matter of weeks. House GOP leaders said they sent their members home because there is nothing that requires a vote. "I'll be here and I'll be available at any moment to sit down with (President Barack Obama) to get serious about solving this problem," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio said during a news conference on Wednesday. The move also sends a message to the White House: It's your move Mr. President. – Halimah Abdullah
WAITING: ON CAPITOL HILL, WHO WILL MAKE THE NEXT MOVE?
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID IN A SPEECH ON THE SENATE FLOOR: “I believe there are 26 reasonable Republicans willing to put their promise to serve their constituents ahead of their pledge to serve Grover Norquist. So, I say to my friend John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, you control matters on the House floor. No one else does. You have the ability, and no one else has the ability, to put this on the floor for a vote. You should do that. That would be the American way.”
SPEAKER BOEHNER AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER THE WEEKLY REPUBLICAN MEETING ON CAPITOL HILL: “This week, we made a good faith offer to avert the fiscal crisis and that offer included significant spending cuts and reforms and it included additional revenue and frankly, it was the balanced approach that the president's been asking for. Now we need a response from the White House. We can't sit here and negotiate with ourselves.”
CNN's GUT CHECK for December 5, 2012
CNN's GUT CHECK | for December 5, 2012 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle
THEY'RE LEAVING: LAWMAKERS' LONG WEEKEND… With the nation heading full steam toward the $7 trillion fiscal cliff, the House of Representatives is taking a break without a deal in place yet to avert the mix of steep spending cuts and tax increases set to take effect in a matter of weeks. House GOP leaders said they sent their members home because there is nothing that requires a vote. "I'll be here and I'll be available at any moment to sit down with (President Barack Obama) to get serious about solving this problem," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio said during a news conference on Wednesday. The move also sends a message to the White House: It's your move Mr. President. – Halimah Abdullah
WAITING: ON CAPITOL HILL, WHO WILL MAKE THE NEXT MOVE?
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID IN A SPEECH ON THE SENATE FLOOR: “I believe there are 26 reasonable Republicans willing to put their promise to serve their constituents ahead of their pledge to serve Grover Norquist. So, I say to my friend John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, you control matters on the House floor. No one else does. You have the ability, and no one else has the ability, to put this on the floor for a vote. You should do that. That would be the American way.”
SPEAKER BOEHNER AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER THE WEEKLY REPUBLICAN MEETING ON CAPITOL HILL: “This week, we made a good faith offer to avert the fiscal crisis and that offer included significant spending cuts and reforms and it included additional revenue and frankly, it was the balanced approach that the president's been asking for. Now we need a response from the White House. We can't sit here and negotiate with ourselves.”
Lawmakers' long weekend
Washington (CNN) - They're leaving.
With the nation heading full steam toward the $7 trillion fiscal cliff, the House of Representatives is taking a break without a deal in place yet to avert the mix of steep spending cuts and tax increases set to take effect in a matter of weeks.
FULL POST
Pentagon told to start planning for fiscal cliff cuts
(CNN) - The White House has ordered the military to start planning for the possibility of cutting $500 billion from its budget over the next 10 years as part of the fiscal cliff, Pentagon officials said on Wednesday.
Agency spokesman George Little told reporters that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) instructed the Defense Department to start internal planning for possible spending reductions on top of other cuts already in the pipeline.
FULL STORY
Potential McAuliffe challenger says he won't run
(CNN) - Democrat Tom Perriello announced his decision not to run for governor of Virginia next year, making room for what is expected to be a race between former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe and Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.
In a statement posted to the blog Blue Virginia the former one-term congressman from Virginia threw his support behind McAuliffe.
FULL POST
Perils of going over the cliff temporarily
New York (CNNMoney) - What happens if Washington fails to avert the fiscal cliff before the end of the year?
Some lawmakers and pundits suggest it won't be a big deal to go over the cliff for a short while. But that is assuming a lot, especially since Congress will be navigating uncharted waters.
FULL STORYThe rich will pay more taxes, Boehner says
Washington (CNN) - Taxes on the wealthy are going up, House Speaker John Boehner conceded on Wednesday in challenging President Barack Obama to sit down with him to hammer out a deal for avoiding the fiscal cliff.
Obama, however, continued to insist on Republicans first ensuring no tax hike for anyone but the top 2% of Americans as a first step toward a broader agreement on tackling the nation's chronic federal deficits and debt.
FULL STORY
Two new polls suggest support for possible 2nd Clinton WH bid
Washington (CNN) - Run Hillary, run.
That's the message from two new polls about a much talked about hypothetical bid for the White House in 2016 by soon-to-be out going Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
FULL POST
Rubio clarifies age of the Earth answer
(CNN) - Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida attempted to clear up Wednesday his controversial answer to a question about the Earth's age last month.
"Science says (the Earth) is about 4.5 billion years old. My faith teaches that's not inconsistent," Rubio said at a Politico Playbook Breakfast in Washington. "God created the heavens and the Earth, and science has given us insight into when he did it and how he did it."
FULL POST
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