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**Written by Doug Powers

After a few days of positioning, John Boehner announced a little earlier today that House Republicans planned to accept a two-month payroll tax cut extension instead of the year-long deal they sought. Learn all about it on MSNBC’s holiday special, “How Obama Saved Family Friday Pizza Night.”

From ABC News:

House GOP leaders appeared to be adopting a compromise suggested by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to pass the two-month extension in exchange for the Senate appointing members to a conference committee, which will negotiate a longer-term solution. The proposal won a nod of approval from President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

But Boehner was visibly unhappy with the deal.

“Kicking a can down the road for a couple of months does cause problems,” he said at a news conference today.

Remember, there was a Keystone pipeline provision in this. Yeah, okay, in the spirit of the season I’m just trying to help the GOP find a bright side for now.

The only remaining question is this: Was Air Force One wheels-up and headed to Hawasia by the time Boehner finished the statement below? Just in case, Autopen was last seen warming up in the bullpen:

Dems are already starting to spin this as the spark that will win back the House next year:

Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, crowed on MSNBC that the fight would mark “a defining moment” in the party’s effort to win back the House in 2012.

Nancy Pelosi’s going to think that every gift she opens on Sunday contains a gavel.

**Written by Doug Powers

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