House Majority Leader Eric Cantor

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) is in a unique position.

As the only non-retiring Republican in the debt-limit talks headed by Vice President Biden, he will own whatever bipartisan agreement is reached, perhaps for many years to come.

Liberals have long attacked Cantor, who frustrated them by convincing all House Republicans to vote against the stimulus and healthcare bills. Not surprisingly, there were times during the last Congress when the president and Cantor clashed.

{mosads}For example, during the 2010 healthcare summit at the White House, a semi-sarcastic Obama said he would continue to try to foster bipartisanship in Washington, singling out Cantor.

“I’m going to keep on talking to Eric Cantor,” Obama said at the time. “Some day, sooner or later, he’s going to say, ‘Boy, Obama had a good idea.’ ”

After the comment triggered laughter, Obama said, “It’s going to happen. You watch. You watch.”

Well, it is now happening. 

After Cantor last week praised Biden for how he is handling the delicate discussions, Biden quickly returned the favor. 

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Eric Cantor, for real,” Biden said. “I mean, it’s been a great pleasant surprise for me. The guy is smart as hell. I don’t want to ruin his reputation. But he really is. He’s smart, and he’s been totally, completely straightforward and sincere.”

And last month, Obama’s National Economic Council director, Gene Sperling, lauded Cantor, saying he comes to the table in each session prepared to negotiate specifics, and not to make speeches.

As Biden suggested, praise from Democrats could be perilous for the 48-year-old legislator. It has made some Tea Party activists nervous that Republicans will end up with the short end of the stick.

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will have to OK any deal that Cantor and retiring Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) broker with Biden and the four congressional Democrats in the room. 

Yet, as a lawmaker who is expected to be a major player in Washington for a long time, Cantor is the key GOP official in the talks. He must direct the conversation at times, and be blunt with Biden about what Republicans will and will not accept. If a deal is ironed out, Cantor will have to sell it to his skeptical GOP conference. 

The next several weeks could be the most challenging stretch of Cantor’s career.