This is not going well for Boehner.

This is not going well for Boehner.

Earlier today, after it was reported that Speaker of the House John Boehner's latest fiscal cliff offer to President Obama maintained tax cuts for the wealthy—something the president has repeatedly called a "non-starter"—Boehner's office vehemently denied it, calling it "deliberately misleading spin."

Here's the problem with that, from Greg Sargent:



Asked about this, the Dem source reiterated that Boehner had indeed demanded that the Bush tax cuts be made permanent. He even added that the offer had been made on paper.

That sounds pretty darned definitive. Greg's source, a Democratic aide "familiar with the conversation" that took place last night between Obama and Boehner would be highly unlikely to volunteer the fact that Boehner's demand is on paper if it wasn't in the White House's hands.

Which means, most likely, that Republicans are taking Obama at his word that he's willing to step off of the cliff curb, and daring him to do it. They're also, of course, still holding tax cuts for the middle class hostage.

It seems that Boehner is wildly misreading the political situation if he thinks that's going to hurt Obama politically, since polling continues to be solidly behind Obama. Or maybe Boehner is just playing to the crowd he's most worried about, his own House caucus.