Obama clashes with McCain in Republican luncheon

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Politico.com:

President Barack Obama made a rare visit to a Senate Republican lunch Tuesday - and Republicans, including John McCain, took direct aim at the White House on everything from health care to border security.

Senators and other sources inside the meeting described the gathering as “testy” and “direct” as Obama asked for Republican help on immigration, energy and the nuclear arms treaty.

Inside the lunch meeting, Obama squared off with his old rival McCain over border security, sources said. Lindsey Graham said the exchange was at times "testy," and sources described Obama’s conversation with McCain as rather direct.

McCain said he told Obama: "We need to secure the borders first. He didn't agree."

During the meeting, which lasted roughly an hour and 20 minutes, sources said Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) broached the issue of Wall Street reform, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) spoke about the administration's response to the BP oil spill, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) discussed health care reform and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) spoke up on a variety of issues.

Republicans came away believing Obama wants to do too much, too fast. And Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) said Obama was rather thin-skinned about criticism. "The more he talked the more he got upset," Roberts said.

"He wants do immigration, climate change - all before we go home - he's a very ambitious guy," said Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.). "I think he needs to step back and see where the country is at."

The Capitol was on near lockdown awaiting Obama's visit, with usually crowded hallways cleared out by throngs of security personnel — and reporters and photographers roped off in select areas.

The White House put out a lengthy statement on Obama’s talk with the Senate Republicans, saying the president discussed the START treaty, immigration, the BP oil spill and the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court.

“On immigration, the president noted that many in the conference have supported efforts before to fix a broken system and impose accountability at our borders, accountability for employers who undercut the law by hiring undocumented workers; and for the workers themselves, who are here illegally and must take responsibility,” the White House press office said. “And he urged them to work with him across party lines to make progress on this issue.”

Toward the end, Republicans were overheard applauding the president twice. Upon leaving, Obama declined to take questions from reporters, but he shook hands with teenage pages waiting to greet him.

"It was a good, frank discussion on a whole range of issues," Obama said as he was leaving.

Heading into the lunch meeting, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on the floor: "The president is of course always welcome here. I’m sure we’ll have a lively discussion."

While McConnell himself called for bipartisan support on the war funding bill, he also launched into a fierce critique of what he said was the Health and Human Services Department's disingenuous sales job on the newly enacted health care law that lacked GOP support.

It's rare for presidents to make the short trek down Pennsylvania Avenue to meet with lawmakers in the Capitol, and Obama's Tuesday visit marks just the second time he's met with the Senate GOP Conference in this setting.

At the beginning of his presidency, Obama made a pitch for Republicans to support his economic stimulus package — but he got just three GOP votes, and partisan relations have grown increasingly worse this election year.

Meredith Shiner contributed to this report.

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AP sources: Obama, Corker clash in private meeting

 

By LAURIE KELLMAN (AP) – 1 hour ago

 

WASHINGTON — Republican officials say President Barack Obama and Sen. Bob Corker clashed during a private meeting over whether anyone in either party was really trying to be bipartisan this election year.

 

Four officials present at the rare session said that when Obama appealed for bipartisanship, Corker accused him of "audacity" given the administration's handling of the financial reform package and other legislation. Corker was a lead GOP negotiator on the bill to regulate Wall Street.

 

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the private session, said Obama bristled and defended his negotiations over the bill.

 

Applause could be heard as Obama exited the room. Obama described the lunch-hour session as a frank discussion on a range of issues.