WASHINGTON – With time growing short and no “fiscal cliff” progress evident, President Barack Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner met for face-to-face negotiations late Thursday at the White House.

The meeting came shortly after Boehner publicly accused Obama of dragging out negotiations on a federal tax-and-spending agreement that would avoid an economy-threatening series of wide-ranging tax increases and spending cuts that could come in less than three weeks. Other Republicans said such a tactic seemed to be working in making it more likely a deal would include higher tax rates for the wealthy.

As the meeting started, the two sides appeared far apart on the issues, and Boehner was scheduled to return home to Ohio today.