John Boehner just gave a “press conference” that clocked in at under a minute, where he took no questions and basically said that Democrats could either pass his “Plan B” proposal, which extends Bush-era tax rates on the first $1 million of income and does basically nothing else, or “be responsible for the largest tax increase in American history.”

Republicans have enough problems dealing with their own internal insurgencies, but it should be explained that their biggest problem in the fiscal slope negotiations is that the public is poised to blame them if things go awry.

Apparently when all the non-partisan public polling shows your position is unpopular, what you do is commission your own poll based on some highly deceptive questions. Third Way, the Wall Street-funded think tank, has released a poll of “Obama voters” which they are claiming shows support for a grand bargain. If you look at the actually survey questions, however, it is clear they don’t pass the laugh test.

President Obama plans to meet with business, labor and civic leaders early this week about the fiscal slope, according to Reuters. Congressional leaders will huddle with Obama at the end of the week.

Gallup has a critical poll out today that makes no mention of Barack Obama or Mitt Romney, but tells us something about the economy.

Elizabeth Warren had what by all accounts was a solid debate performance last night, punctuated by a pivotal moment where Warren ripped aside the moderate mask Scott Brown has been trying to wear this whole campaign. He tried to come across as a staunch defender of women’s rights, but Warren would have none of it, highlighting Brown’s votes against equal pay and women’s health.

When you put out an ad that has to state clearly, up front, that “rape is an evil act,” I’d say that should be the end of your political career, but in this case, Todd Akin is clearly making a play for hanging in there in Missouri, with just hours before he needs to make a decision on whether to withdraw.

A new poll from the National Journal shows that the principle of raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans by letting the Bush tax cuts expire remains extremely popular, even as some Democrats show trepidation about the idea.

Wisconsin goes to the polls today in recall elections for Governor Scott Walker, Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, and four state Senators. If successful, it would be only the third gubernatorial recall in American history. More money has been spent on these races than on any election in Wisconsin ever, and as Tom Barrett said today, the large majority of that money was on Walker’s side, coming from special interests outside the state.

President Bill Clinton will campaign tomorrow in Milwaukee for Tom Barrett in his recall fight against Scott Walker. Greg Sargent writes that this was a late-game decision that involved heavy lobbying from leaders in the Democratic Party.