The White House is preparing for Tuesday's debt ceiling showdown with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) by fortifying its red lines, isolating vulnerable Republicans and staffing up for a war of attrition.
Why it matters: McCarthy believed that passing his debt ceiling bill against the odds would force President Biden to come to the negotiating table. After briefly regrouping, the White House opted to grant the coveted face-to-face meeting — while pairing it with a sharp escalation in rhetoric.
