WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and a trio of top House Republicans largely downplayed looming clashes at a lunch Wednesday at the White House, instead discussing issues of potential compromise such as education reform and free-trade agreements.
In his latest post-election move to emphasize bipartisanship, Obama, joined by Vice President Joe Biden and Chief of Staff William Daley, met with House Speaker John Boeh ner, R-Ohio, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in a private dining room in the White House.
In separate news conferences afterward, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs and the three GOP members said the meeting was largely about the two sides trying to find areas of compromise.
“I thought it was pretty clear today that the president wants to try to find some common ground with us,” Boehner said. “There are areas that we are going to disagree about, but I think all of us know that there are some issues that we can work on together. Whether it’s education, whether it’s tax policy, whether it’s trade or even cutting spending, I think we can find common ground and show the American people that we’re able to work together.”
