The GOP's Medicare confusion  —  The austerity crisis talks have hit a peculiar impasse.  The problem isn't, as most analysts expected, taxes, where Republicans seem increasingly resigned to new revenue.  It's Medicare.  And the particular Medicare problem isn't that Democrats are refusing the GOP's proposed Medicare cuts.

Boehner Angered by Leak of Phone Call  —  Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio and Republican leaders are fuming after a late night phone call with President Barack Obama was leaked to the press, despite an agreement that it would not be, according to several GOP aides.

White House Offers New Fiscal Plan, Prodding G.O.P.  —  WASHINGTON — House Republicans said on Thursday that Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner presented the House speaker, John A. Boehner, a detailed proposal to avert the year-end fiscal crisis with $1.6 trillion in tax increases over 10 years …

McConnell ‘Burst Into Laughter’ as Geithner Outlined Obama's Plan  —  Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, says he “burst into laughter” Thursday when Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner outlined the administration proposal for averting the fiscal cliff.

‘Disappointed’ Boehner calls on Obama to get serious on spending in deficit talks  —  Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday there had been “no substantive progress” in fiscal-cliff negotiations in the two weeks since congressional leaders met with President Obama.

Obama, Romney have White House turkey chili summit  —  President Barack Obama spent more than an hour with Mitt Romney at the White House on Thursday, as the one-time rivals shared lunch and discussed their ideas for keeping the United States competitive in a changing world.

At Lunch, Romney Congratulates Obama on Win  —  The White House issued this statement after President Barack Obama's lunch with former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney:  —  This afternoon, President Obama and Governor Romney visited for an hour over lunch in the Private Dining Room adjacent to the Oval Office.