Clinton Extends Hand to Congressional GOP : Economy: In meetings with Republicans, he signals cooperation on health care and welfare reform. But he stands firm on his stimulus package.

Reaching out to congressional Republicans Tuesday, President Clinton signaled that his Administration is willing to work with them on health care and welfare reform but he stood by his economic package, despite renewed GOP demands for more spending cuts.

While he would like to reduce federal outlays even more, Clinton told House Republicans, he doubts that Congress will be willing to go along with deeper cuts than he has proposed.

The President’s separate talks with Senate and House Republicans marked the first time that he has consulted at length with his political adversaries, although he has met often with Democratic leaders and rank-and-file members of Congress since his election last November.

The President used wit, an apology and a birthday cake to disarm some of his worst critics, at least for the moment.

He apologized to GOP lawmakers for not consulting with them in advance on important foreign and defense policy moves, such as the airdrop of food in war-ravaged Bosnia. He promised to keep Republican leaders informed in the future.

In the Capitol Hill culture, he scored points by trading quips with Republican senators who served him a McDonald’s lunch of a Big Mac, fries and a cola drink. He talked for 90 minutes with dozens of House Republicans who rarely had such a wide-ranging discussion with presidents of their own party. He also made a hit by bringing a cake to honor the 70th birthday of House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel (R-Ill.).

“He didn’t make any converts for his package but on a personal basis, he’s a real charmer,” said Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), who gave Clinton a list of budget cuts that Lott said would save $216 billion over five years.

“He promised very little and certainly conceded nothing,” said Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands). “But this guy is no Jimmy Carter. . . . He’s reaching out to Republicans because at times he may need Republican votes.”

Michel said that, by implication, Clinton said that the views of congressional Democrats limit the size of spending reductions.

“I got the distinct impression that he’s got a constituency on the Hill that can’t take as deep spending cuts as we (Republicans) can and he deferred to that,” Michel told reporters.

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Coronado) spoke for many members of his party when he protested that Clinton was not forthcoming about details of proposed defense spending cuts or other major parts of his first budget.

But Clinton won GOP applause for indicating that his Administration would be willing to work in tandem with Republicans on such issues as welfare reform, health care, changes in the student loan program and his proposal for a national service corps.

Even Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Tex.), arch-foe of Clinton’s economic package, conceded: “Maybe we can do better on health care.” And Rep. Bill McCollum (R-Fla.) said that the President agreed to work with Republicans on defenses against terrorism.

In some lighthearted moments before the McDonald’s meal, Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) presented Clinton with a check for $250 from personal funds of the Republican leaders to help pay for a jogging track on the South Lawn of the White House.

“This is probably the most extreme step ever taken by a member of either party to cut the fat out of the federal government,” quipped Clinton, who is known for his tendency to go on eating binges.

Earlier, in his meeting with House Republicans, the President acknowledged that he had failed to consult properly with GOP leaders before deciding to approve airlifts of food and other aid for Bosnia and agreeing to a peace plan in Yugoslavia that could involve a commitment of U.S. troops.