Obama and Romney to Meet Again, Ricks Calls Fox News Statement ‘Horseshit,’ and More

Raising Objections:

House Speaker John Boehner has signaled he’s not open to raising taxes on the wealthy, shooting down a proposal by a Republican colleague that would have kept the Bush-era tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., suggested locking in the rates only for those making an annual income of up to $250,000, essentially making a concession to President Obama. Boehner explained why he didn’t agree with the proposal: “It’ll hurt small businesses. It’ll hurt our economy. That’s why it’s not the right approach. We’re willing to put revenue on the table as long as we’re not raising rates.” (Read more)

Let’s Do Lunch: For the first time since the Nov. 6 election, President Obama and rival Mitt Romney will meet in person. The two men are scheduled to have a private lunch at the White House on Thursday. Not invited to attend: the press. (Read more)

Biggest Loser: GQ magazine has named Mitt Romney as the least influential person of 2012. From the magazine: “Voting for Romney is like hooking up with the last single person at the bar at 4 a.m.” Ouch. (Read more)

Man With a Plan: Texas Gov. Rick Perry is set to make a “major announcement” about his “future political plans,” the Rio Grande Guardian reported Wednesday. The plans could include a fourth run for the Texas governorship, or perhaps another stab at the White House. But if you’re looking for instant gratification on this one, you’ll have to wait; Perry won’t make his announcement until July. (Read more)

Over the Bill: Gennifer Flowers, the woman who claimed two decades ago to have had a sexual affair with Bill Clinton, said the former president tried to contact her again in 2005 to set up a rendezvous after her divorce. “I picked up the phone and it was him. And he wanted to come by my house and talk to me. … I was taken aback. That was the last thing I expected,” Flowers told ABC affiliate WGNO. She continued, “I said, ‘No you can’t come over here.’ He said, ‘I’ll put on a hoodie and I’ll jog up there.’ … And I said, ‘No, I want you to leave me alone.’ And that was that.” (Read more)

Video of the Day: The feud between Thomas Ricks and Fox News does not appear to be subsiding anytime soon. On Wednesday, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist said on HuffPost Live that Fox News’ statement that he apologized for saying in an interview on the cable news network that it was “operating as a wing of the Republican Party” was “horseshit.” He also explained why he turned down an interview request on MSNBC.

Bonus Video of the Day:

On Monday, former GOP Sen. Alan Simpson joked on MSNBC’s “Hardball” that he’d like to see Grover Norquist drown. But that’s nothing compared with what New York Rep. Peter King, also a Republican, says his wife wants to do to the anti-tax man. King told Politico Live on Wednesday: I don’t think he’s ever met me, certainly he’s never met my wife. And he better hope he doesn’t. She’ll knock his head off.”