Dear Diary: The great fiscal mud-fight continues. Optics are everything, which is why I have arranged a meeting here at the White House this afternoon so I appear to be pulling out all the stops to get the stubborn plantation-owners to do what's right. My priority is not to avoid the nation going over the Fiscal Cliff, but to avoid being blamed for the nation going over the Fiscal Cliff. Big difference. Meantime, I have had to delay the most important item on my agenda: the weather in DC is too unsettled for a round of golf.