Top Links: Fiscal cliff just got real, the ‘fire Boehner’ movement and the possibility of bunga bunga 2

The discussions between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner debate has now entered “Bad Boys 2” territory. That’s right: The cliff just got real. That and more of what we’ll be discussing today at 4 p.m.

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• President Obama and Speaker Boehner held their first face-to-face meeting in a month on the fiscal cliff Sunday. (The Washington Post)

• How serious are fiscal cliff talks now? Obama and Boehner chose to meet rather than watch that epic Redskins game. (The Atlantic Wire)

• “In other words, the period of posturing and P.R. .. is now over.” (Mark Murray)

• Sen. Dick Durban, D-Illinois: If we go over fiscal cliff, it means recession, “a recession the Republicans will own.” (Mike Viqueira)

• Of course, Boehner could face a challenge from his right over whether he remains speaker. (National Review)

• The Weekly Standard lashes out at the Wall Street Journal editorial board, which suggests going over the fiscal cliff to win the tax hike fight: “It would be great if the Journal editors had a better idea of what Republicans could do. They don’t.” (The Weekly Standard)

• How Mitt Romney introduced himself to Manny Pacquiao hours before Pacquiao was knocked out in the sixth round. “Hello, Manny. I ran for president. I lost.” (Associated Press)

• Newt Gingrich is already calling 2016 for Hillary Clinton. (Political Wire)

• Wow. Michelle Bachmann broke her own fundraising record with $14.4 million raised in 2012. (KARE 11)

• Egypt’s army now has the power to arrest civilians (Reuters)

• “Inside the Obama administration, Syria is now likened by some to a second Somalia—only at the heart of the Middle East, and with the world’s third-largest stockpile of chemical weapons.” (Jackson Diehl)

• Silvio Berlusconi wants to be Italy’s prime minister again. However, he’s going to have to work on his poll numbers if we’re to see the return of bunga bunga. (Business Insider)