Cliff talks turn into public posturing

POLITICO: House Speaker John Boehner’s decision to pursue a fiscal cliff backup plan looked like an attempt to go his own way.

But it was really about bolstering his position in the one-on-one talks with President Barack Obama.

Boehner is trying to strengthen his negotiating hand, give himself more legislative options, show his House Republican Conference that he is willing to play hardball and shift blame if they can’t come to an agreement…

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