Mayor for 63 Years! Longest Serving Mayor Dies - Richmond, Texas Mayor Hilmar Moore took office in 1949. That's before Robert Byrd was in the House of Representatives, much less a senator. And he was in office until he died Tuesday at 92. Moore was in office in his small hometown before Dave Brubeck, who died today at 91, released 'Take Five' - http://abcn.ws/Sywqxq

Boehner and Obama Speak - Jake Tapper reports that Obama and Boehner did speak on the phone this afternoon. So there's that. We don't know what happened on that conversation. But we do know that both men continued their very public and very intractable statements. Obama spoke to the Business roundtable and said he wouldn't negotiate on the debt ceiling next year. Boehner spoke after a caucus meeting and said he wants a counter-counter-offer. McConnell tried to get a vote on the president's proposal. Harry Reid objected. Tim Geithner told CNBC the administration was "absolutely" willing to go over the cliff. http://abcn.ws/11FlC5u

Why National Polls Are Pretty Much Worthless in the Fiscal Cliff and the Blame Game - From Amy Walter - But, while national polls can be of some value in understanding the mood of the country going into the fiscal cliff debate, what they can't predict is the response of voters if we indeed fall off that cliff. How voters assess blame today may be very, very different from who they hold responsible in the aftermath of a crisis. More opinions from left right and center on polls and the cliff are here: http://abcn.ws/Ufo4YY

"What's going to happen?" - Who knows, said one smart senior Republican Leadership aide this afternoon. "The White House isn't even trying any more."

The full wrap of the day in the fiscal cliff is here Devin Dwyer and team - http://abcn.ws/11FlC5u

More on Boehner's Request for a Counter-Counter-Offer - http://abcn.ws/TI3nsy (Parkinson)

Oh, Absolutely - More on Geithner's answer to whether the White House is ready to go off the cliff - http://abcn.ws/VkNw0i

QOTD - Bill Clinton on the Fiscal Cliff - "But it's just a Kabuki dance," Clinton said at Memorial Auditorium. "They're sort of like two dogs that meet each other over a piece of meat. They're sniffing each other out. They are moving toward a deal. That's what's going on." http://bit.ly/VESmaY

Liberal Pushback: Bernie Sanders Calls on Dems to Reject Entitlement Cuts-Entitlement reform may offer an area of compromise on the fiscal cliff, but Bernie Sanders is having none of it. http://abcn.ws/R8GeBx (Chris Good)

As Syria Rebels Make Gains, Clinton Keeps Pressure on Assad-A shift favoring the opposition in the civil war in Syria could be on the horizon, according to a U.S. official, but President Bashar al-Assad is not likely to leave any time soon. http://abcn.ws/Vx4IWa (Martha Raddatz and Dana Hughes)

Socialism, Capitalism Most Looked-Up Words of 2012-Dueling fiscal philosophies had a high-profile in 2012. Socialism and capitalism were the two most looked-up words of the year, dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster announced on Wednesday. http://abcn.ws/UGh9fZ (Elizabeth Hartfield)

Cory Booker's Breakfast - Chickpeas and Lettuce. No Coffee - http://abcn.ws/XrIfdE

The President's 2011 Remarks on Revenue + Ambassador Anna Wintour? - Today's Q's for O's WH -

TAPPER: I'm afraid I just don't see the difference other than the president feels like he's in a different position in terms of negotiations. Maybe he - it's that he feels that he has a stronger hand now because of the re-election and because of the tax rates automatically go up.

Later

TAPPER: Has the president seen " The Devil Wears Prada"? (Laughter.) (CARNEY calls on next reporter.)

Obama Warns GOP On Debt Ceiling: 'I Will Not Play That Game'-President Obama today issued a stern warning to Republicans in Congress threatening to use the debt ceiling as a bargaining chip in deficit negotiations, saying "it is not a game that I will play." http://abcn.ws/TJYNYC (Mary Bruce)

Former Sen. Alan Simpson, 81, Dances to Gangham Style-The dreaded fiscal cliff got a litter lighter today thanks to former Senator Alan Simpson, half of the bipartisan Simpson Bowles balanced deficit reduction evangelist team. The 81-year-old Republican danced to Gangham Style after referencing "instagramming and tweeting" in a YouTube video posted to spread the word about the fiscal cliff. http://abcn.ws/VmXkXA(Jilian Fama)

'Fiscal Cliff' Deal: Are There Potential Cuts That Aren't On the Table?-How does one come up with $4 trillion in revenue and spending cuts?That's the question members of Congress, the Obama administration and fiscal experts around the country are grappling with as "fiscal cliff" talks continue to stall. http://abcn.ws/XqJ0DL (Elizabeth Hartfield)

Hillary Clinton Wins High Popularity, Majority Support for a 2016 Bid-Carried by a new high in personal popularity and broad approval of her work as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton closes out her diplomatic career with majority support as a candidate for president in 2016. http://abcn.ws/SxlmAM (Greg Holyk)

Today Over at Univision:

Rubio on immigration: 50/50 chance of passage - http://abcn.ws/SNX6tR

Pro-Statehood Puerto Ricans "Not Pleased" By White House Comments - http://abcn.ws/SyE3Ec

Conservative activists launch immigration reform effort - http://abcn.ws/SNXdpq