Vice President Joseph R. Biden speaks during a meeting at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the White House complex on Dec. 20, 2012. (Associated Press)
**FILE** President Obama gestures as he speaks about the "fiscal cliff" on Dec. 31, 2012, in the South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington. (Associated Press)
President Obama speaks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington after meeting with congressional leaders regarding the "fiscal cliff" on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Obama pauses during a statement on the "fiscal cliff" negotiations with congressional leaders at the White House on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
**FILE** President Obama pauses during a statement on the fiscal cliff negotiations with congressional leaders in the briefing room of the White House on Dec. 28, 2012. (Associated Press)
President Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington after meeting with congressional leaders regarding the fiscal cliff, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Obama waves as he steps off the Marine One helicopter and walks on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington on Dec. 27, 2012, as he returned early from his Hawaii vacation for meetings on the fiscal cliff. (Associated Press)
**FILE** President George Bush congratulates Desert Storm commander Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf after presenting him with the Medal of Freedom at the White House in Washington on July 4, 1991. (Associated Press)
President Obama walks past a Marine honor guard as he steps off the Marine One helicopter and walks on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington on Dec. 27, 2012, as he returned early from his Hawaii vacation for meetings on the fiscal cliff. (Associated Press)
President Obama returns a Marine honor guard's salute as he steps off the Marine One helicopter and walks on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington on Dec. 27, 2012, as he returned early from his Hawaii vacation for meetings on the fiscal cliff. (Associated Press)