Republicans moved in concert Thursday to disrupt deficit reduction talks with the White House, refusing to participate in some cases until President Barack Obama become more personally involved and resolves the divisive issue of taxes. But it also betrays a growing defensiveness inside the GOP, as the debt ceiling gets closer with no deal in sight and pressure for negotiators to consider defense cuts and eliminating some tax subsidies. Text Size - 
 
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 reset VIDEO: Speaker on Cantor leaving talks VIDEO: Dems 'disapointed' POLITICO 44 
 
 House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) fired the first shot, announcing he was withdrawing immediately from the negotiations because of the tax question. But we need to hear from him.” 
 
 Cantor had sent mixed signals earlier this week, first saying that he wanted greater involvement by the president and then insisting that he remained committed to the talks led by Vice President Joe Biden. And Cantor made his move just hours after a Wednesday night meeting at the White House between his sometimes rival, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), and Obama, who are slated to take over the talks once the Biden negotiations have run their course.
– And then there were none: Arizona Senator Jon Kyl is joining Eric Cantor in his decision to skip Joe Biden's deficit-reduction talks, which means no Republicans are left on the panel, reports ABC News. The departures come as Mitch McConnell blasted President Obama on the Senate floor, notes Politico, which sees a "concerted effort" by the GOP to force the president to get personally involved in the talks. They've hit an impasse over Democrats' push for tax increases. "I would expect to hear from (Obama)," said Speaker John Boehner. "I think those talks could continue if they're willing to take the tax hikes off the table." One anonymous Democratic senator views Cantor's move this way: “He’s throwing the hot potato to Boehner because it was too hot for him." Biden canceled today's scheduled meeting after Cantor's announcement, reports the Hill. The remaining Democrats: Max Baucus, Daniel Inouye, James Clyburn, and Chris Van Hollen.