Fiscal cliff fears continue

>>> well, tis the season to be j jolly. as we get closer to the holidays here in washington -- no, we're in new york. i never want to believe i'm in new york city when i'm even here for a few hours. i'm kidding, guys. the fiscal cliff cloud is lingering. here it comes, i know. defending new york city . in your three- block view . the president used last night's national christmas tree light to go remind everyone the holiday season is for merry times.

>> the tree has one message, it's christmastime, not disaster time.

>> within their three block radius. our friday gaggle who are all bashing me, republican strategist, former adviser to chris christie , maggie, who is the defender of new york city , senior political reporter for politico, ann reid.

>> morning, brooklyn. just saying.

>> she is a floridian. that's why i allow you on. come on, now. managing editor of the grio.com. fiscal cliff. mike, i want to start with you. it does seem as if there are three groups of republican thought, right? you have the conservatives saying, you know, don't relent on this. upset jim demint was critical of john boehner the day before he left the senate saying i can't believe you agreed 0 to any tax relief, where the house is trying to configure something that keeps them safe and then you have the governors. you've had others. christie thinks the same thing, this is ridiculous. don't do this to the republican party brand. just cut this deal. don't be so stubborn on these high-end tax rates . is that the way you see it?

>> i think the elections have cons 0 againsts and the electorate has chosen divided government. they expect compromise and expect it from both sides. i don't think republicans should move on tax increases without significant movement on entitlements.

>> you want to get something in return but go ahead and offer it. and right now they're not offering it.

>> in order to get something done, people expect to get something done. both sides have to come to the middle. elections have consequences. both sides are going to have to give. right now i think you need to see significant reform on entitlements.

>> maggie, who should own the entitlement plan, though? i do feel like we are -- we know a plan will get done, right? there's a small deal that punts us and we have the debt ceiling, or there is the big deal that maybe actually provides some relief. the big deal , who should open the entitlement? you do it, mrmt. and they're going, whoa, whoa, whoa, i'm not having this fight with my own base.

>> i think that's the problem, right? in terms of who should own it. neither side, and i think this goes back to what you said, something you said, boehner has to have something to take back to his conference, right? the white house feels like he has not actually asked for anything yet. you have to ask for what you want. i, like you, am skeptical. in terms of who owns it, we'll see.

>> i know the white house has been setting up the progressives this way. saying we're not budging on tax breaks . we're not going to cave in on that. but, we might end up doing something. give me a little bit of room on entitlements. i understand that's the message and the progressive message is we'll give you a little room . we don't want to give you a lot.

>> if you isolate the medicare piece of it, they don't want to do anything on the individual medicare rips. maybe we could do something on -- i think the progressive wish list would be to do something on negotiating drug prices, bringing that back from the old fight, the affordable care act . so i think there is wiggle room. i think democrats are dug in on not touching social security and i would be shocked if that even entered the conversation.

>> the cpi change, something the president has offered and he's ready to do that.

>> i think people want to protect medicaid, obviously, and would like to protect social security . i think medicare is the rule.

>> thatour gaggle will stick around. we'll hear from the white house officially when they can first talk about the jobs report. they can't do it until after 8:30. this sunday's "meet the press" a debate between capitol hill leaders republican congressman and the vote counter for house republicans, kevin mccarthy and the democratic senate whip dick durbin . first, the white house soup of the day , it's friday, spicy and of course it's always fish. cajun gumbo. check our website. [