Obama praises bipartisanship but warns GOP
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President Obama said his meeting with congressional leaders of both parties went well but warned that bipartisanship meant compromises on all sides.
“There are legitimate and genuine differences between the parties,” Obama said in a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room on Tuesday. It was his first session answering reporters’ questions in months, a sore point in some quarters, including the media.
Obama spoke after his meeting with Republican leaders Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. John Boehner, who struck a positive tone with reporters after the session.
There were no agreements on major issues, but none had been expected in the current push to bring Republicans into some sort of partnership needed to pass legislation. The outreach was caused in part by a recent election in Massachusetts that broke the Democrats’ super-majority in the Senate and by polls showing increasing voter unhappiness with Washington’s political atmosphere.
“Bipartisanship can’t be that I agree to all the things that they believe in or want, and they agree to none of the things I believe in or want,” Obama warned. Later, he compared the relationship with Republicans to a marriage where give and take was needed.
On the healthcare overhaul, the issue that most separates the president from Republicans, Obama said he wants the proposed healthcare summit on Feb. 25 to be substantive and not an example of political theater, as Republicans have said they feared.
“We can’t afford grandstanding at the expense of actually getting something done,” Obama said. “What I won’t consider is doing nothing.”
Obama also warned the GOP about several of his appointments that have been languishing for political reasons. If the Senate does not act, Obama said he would consider recess appointments, acting on his own authority and in effect putting people in jobs. The appointments would last until the end of the current Congress.
Republican leaders said the meeting was cordial.
“We had a good meeting with the president,” McConnell told reporters. “What I would like to emphasize [is] there are some areas of potential agreement.”
McConnell said Republicans could work with Democrats to create jobs through nuclear power, offshore drilling and clean coal initiatives, and on trade agreements pending before Congress.
Boehner called on Obama to send spending cuts, backed by Republicans, to Congress.
Also attending the meeting were Democratic leaders, including Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, who also called the meeting productive.
“Senate Democrats remain hopeful that our Republican colleagues will work with us this week to take swift action and pass legislation to help businesses thrive and create jobs,” Reid said.
-- Michael Muskal
Twitter.com/LATimesmuskal
