Boehner, having barely survived a coup attempt from within his own ranks, has vowed to steer clear of any one-on-one talks with Obama. The president, freshly reelected but facing questions from his left flank about his backbone, dug in months ago, vowing not to get involved in any horse trading with Boehner over the issue of increasing Treasury’s borrowing authority.

Vice President Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the elder statesmen who have closed most recent fiscal deals, have stayed on the sidelines…

“We’re back to regular order. We’re doing it the right way,” Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), a junior member of the GOP leadership, said Tuesday as she exited another closed-door meeting of House Republicans.

The “regular order” being touted by Republicans is markedly different from what happened in previous showdowns. In the spring, facing criticism that he lacked any personal bonds with lawmakers, Obama hosted a series of dinner parties, with a particular emphasis on Senate Republicans…

Obama also decided he did not want a repeat of 2011 and 2012. White House officials have blamed that on their inability to trust the speaker’s ability to deliver results, but it also comes from their decision in early 2012 to avoid protracted talks on Capitol Hill and instead try to elevate the president above the fray.