Enough Jockeying. It's Time for an Adult Moment.

As August 2nd quickly approaches, Democrats are united in their commitment to a balanced agreement to reduce the deficit that protects American seniors, small businesses, and middle class families. Can the same be said about House Republicans?

The Washington Post – Eric Cantor's slick upper lip:

…What Cantor wants now is power — and he is prepared to risk the full faith and credit of the United States to get it. In a primacy struggle with House Speaker John Boehner, he has done a deft job of aligning himself with Tea Party House members in opposition to any meaningful deal to resolve the debt. If the U.S. government defaults, it will have much to do with Cantor…

Cantor, a veteran of a decade in the Capitol, surely knows that he is jettisoning the last chance in the next couple of years to make a serious dent in the national debt. The White House has so far offered up a tantalizing array of concessions — $4 trillion in budget cuts and overhauls of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security – but Cantor has yet to offer anything but sneers…

Claiming that there have been "concessions made already" by his side, Cantor was pressed to name some of them. "I don't want to get into specifics now," he said…

NBC's Luke Russert asked what "sacred cows" Cantor would be willing to sacrifice. Cantor repeated his denunciation of Obama's tax policy.

"Where do the Republicans feel pain here, though?" Russert persisted.

After a long and contemptuous day, the majority leader probably feels it most in his upper lip. [7/12]

Politico – Debt limit mood darkens as GOP muddles own message:

The two-hour White House session, while described as constructive, offered no promise of any quick breakthrough. The coolness between Boehner and his perceived rival Cantor is palpable, and Obama sometimes seems to use this to his advantage.

For example, the president and Cantor clashed again Tuesday, this time over the availability of paperwork on the administration's savings proposals. Obama told Cantor, officials said, that he had shared information with the speaker and felt that was sharing with the House GOP. Boehner sat silently, just as he did Monday when the aggressive Cantor clashed with the president and Reid.

"Boehner has expressive body language," said one Democratic official familiar with the talks. "He doesn't always say anything." [7/12]

The Washington Post – McConnell outlines new proposal on debt ceiling:

Since pulling the plug on the deal, Boehner has been largely silent in the meetings, leaving House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to present details of the House's position. On Tuesday, people in both parties said, Obama tried to reestablish Boehner's primacy.

Cantor, who is advocating a smaller deal, at one point demanded that Obama offer the details of his vision for a "grand bargain."

"Where's your paper?" he asked angrily.

Obama snapped back: "Frankly, your speaker has it. Am I dealing with him, or am I dealing with you?" [7/12]