Senate deal forged in a flurry of final negotiations

They had 80 hours to finish or fail.

Stuck in a "fiscal cliff" stalemate, trust nearing tatters, President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans changed the game after Christmas. It took the rekindling of an old friendship between Vice President Joe Biden and GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell, an extraordinary flurry of secret offers, a pre-dawn Senate vote on New Year's Day and the legislative muscling that defines Washington on deadline.

Yet the fate of the final agreement remains in doubt as House Republicans show signs of rebellion against the plan. ...