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Pool / Getty Images
Sens. Ron Johnson, Tom Coburn, Richard Burr and Saxby Chambliss leave The Jefferson after a dinner with President Barack Obama on March 6, 2013 in Washington, DC.
Senators emerging from dinner with President Obama at The Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C, Wednesday night described the sit-down as a positive conversation focused largely on building more productive ways to solve the country's fiscal problems.
"I am more optimistic, just from a personal standpoint. It's just, you know, having been in the group of eight, it's tough sledding. It's just very tough sledding," said Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb. "These are very difficult issues but I do think there's a real fatigue in just going from crisis to crisis. But tonight was a good first step. A good step."
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said the senators and the president discussed the upcoming fiscal fights over funding the government, writing a budget and the wrangling over the debt ceiling. Hoeven said there is "an opportunity" to use the debt ceiling fight to solve the county's long term entitlement problems.
Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said the conversation was "wide ranging" but when asked, wouldn't say if they discussed immigration or gun control.
"We had a wide ranging discussion about fiscal and other issues. I think it was a constructive discussion," he said.
President Obama hosts several Republicans for dinner to ease sequester tensions. NBC's Tracie Potts reports.
Sen. John McCain stayed largely mum: "All I can say is we had an evening that I really appreciated very much."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, the dinner organizer, left about 20 minutes before the other attendees and the president departed the hotel.
A senior administration official later said, "The president greatly enjoyed the dinner and had a good exchange of ideas with the senators."
As for who paid for dinner, several senators said they had no idea. Initially, Hoeven said several people split the check; later, his office clarified that while Sen. Saxby Chambliss had offered to pay, the president picked up the tab.
Prior to the meeting, the Republicans who were invited gave Obama the benefit of the doubt -- even if they didn't want to elaborate.
"I'm just looking forward to having a constructive conversation," said Bob Corker, R-Tenn., before dashing into the Senate chamber and away from prying reporters.
"I'm happy to go there and listen and provide input," said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a dinner invitee who won his Senate race with considerable Tea Party backing and isn't usually on lists of moderate senators inclined to deal-making.
As he walked out of The Jefferson, a swanky D.C. hotel that bills its main restaurant as "discreet and elegant," McCain told reporters the meeting was "just fine," and flashed a thumb-up. Moments later, senators Tom Coburn, Chambliss and Kelly Ayotte were seen exiting.
The idea for the sit-down came during a meeting Graham and McCain had with Obama at the White House last week.
"How do you say no to the president of the United States who would like to have dinner with some of your colleagues? You don't," Graham said.
Related: Obama reaches out to GOP senators as Democrats seek more revenue
"When the president asked that I put together a group, I willingly -- I was honored to try to do that. Where this goes, I don't know."
Added Graham: "It is incumbent on us to reach back. When he reaches out, we need to reach back."
At the top of the dinner's agenda was the possibility of a grand bargain combining entitlement reforms with lowering tax rates and closing loopholes that would head off the sequester and tackle some of the country's worst budget woes.
So far, negotiations between the White House and GOP leaders have led only to gridlock. Graham insisted the dinner wasn't a divide-and-conquer strategy, with the president going around Republican leaders in favor of the rank-and-file.
"I would say this is an effort by the president to talk to people who he would like to talk to who he normally doesn't talk to. I think he talks to the leadership guys a lot. This is not about replacing anybody," said Graham.
Said Sen. John Thune, a member of GOP leadership: "There have always been attempts to sort of co-opt a few people up here. But this seems to be a more general outreach.
"Instead, Republicans say it's evidence that Obama's the one taking political heat for the sequester budget cuts that went into effect last week."
I think the president sort of got on the wrong side with the sequester by going out and using the scare tactics. And I think that's kind of bit him," Thune said. "He saw a 7-point drop in his approval rating in one week, and I think a lot of it had to do with the way he handled this."
Democrats familiar with the White House's thinking said the dinner was an attempt to "bring down the temperature" between Obama and the congressional GOP.
This story was originally published on Wed Mar 6, 2013 1:44 PM EST
Leave a Comment:
My question here is why Republican Senators are invited and not the Democrat senators. The Democrat senate keeps crushing the Republican house budget proposals. It seems to me that he needs to wine and dine the people that keep crushing the budget not the ones supporting reform!
Ironic, McCain and Graham have become Obama's "Step and Fetch Its".
Seniors, Obama is willing to throw you under the bus with a chained CPI cost of living index. You'll get smaller raises than you get now. It's already a low balled COLA and with chained it will be even worse. You might want to contact your elected reps and let them know how you feel.
If Simpson-Bowles is not the entire agenda they are all failing.
Apparantly, j-z and beyonce are busy tonight, or the sequester would have had to wait.
Nothing but Optics for the President. He Knows people are onto his game of breaking America down to bankruptcy, so he can build a Socialistic country. He will go to the meeting just for the pictures with congress to tell people he cares. NOT............
Just more of Obamas crap and lies.
If there is any conspiracy it is this:
Why are the GOP hell bent on destroying the U.S. economy?
Are their wealthy masters demanding that they prepare for the NWO?
Hello
Thank GOD there are still some intelligent people out there!
Omega,
Hey, this is Obama's doing and he wound up pimp slapping himself.
How appropriate.
Dio
Open your eyes! It is the dems that are killing the economy! WAKE UP!!!!!!
Please, take the plastic bag off your head! We know who is destroying the economy and it isn't the republicans. Your feurhrer and his empty suit fan club (democrats) that are doing that.
tim,
The GOP, tea party and conservatives have done NOTHING but try to sabotage the economy since the 2010 midterms.
And they are still at it.....you wake up.
Dio
Your terrorist in chief was a senator during the Bush administration when the house and the senate were controlled by democrats. Obama helped create this mess along with his welfare loving vote buying bastards, but democrats are too stupid to see it. So you better wake up or we are going to lose every right our fore fathers fought for!
Sounds like they all want to hug and make up... Not! Or maybe, they want to act like a group of cardinals... Where are all the alterboys. We need real change. Vote Casey Anthony for President 2016!!!
Well, let us examine this using pure logic.
93% of all income growth goes to just 1% ( bloomberg.com....not my opinion...fact )
The only stumbling block to a sequester fix and a budget is?....From Boner himself......tax LOOPHOLES for the wealthiest.
So you tell me, who the GOP are concerned about?
The 99%?....or the 1%?
Bloomberg's opinions are NEVER fact.
The reason why the income growth is going there is because of Quantitative Easing. But alas I won't waste energy trying to explain this to feeble minded people like yourself.
Perfect conservative response.....
NC says bloomberg...one of the most trusted business institutions in the country is 'liberal' or something.
Brent ties himself into knots trying to argue with facts...hey Brent....the sky is blue...grass is green...ice is cold....LOL.
Fascinating!
Does not mean Bloomberg is correct or unbiased; and it is liberal. Hey, Bloomberg is one of the 1%ers..and you trust him? LOL
We need to stop the campaign. The election is over," Graham said Wednesday. "If we never talk to each other, I know exactly what's going to happen, this country is going to fail."
What do you mean, going to fail? We're already on that express rail, Senator.
They better let the dog eat some first and see if he croaks before they dig in.....
"The election is over." The only problem, the Republicans are acting like they won.
John is one of the reasons that I hate Colorado.
So the Dems just rolled over for everything when they were the minority right?
In the last national election, 243 Democrats were elected and 241 GOP. The GOP easily kept the House when ALL of the seats were up for election. The House can continue to curb Obama's nonsense. Uh oh, what happened, Dems?
It is not going to get better for you lefties, either. The GOP held the House after the last census, thereby stopping any Democrat chance to gerrymander. Tsk.
Also note that most state governors are GOP (30) as are most state legislatures (27).
Quite a...."loss". LOL
All dems know is how to lie, cheat and steal then blame someone else!!!!!!!!!
If we don't cut:
Education
Science
Research
Head Start
Space Program
What kind of world are we leaving our children?
On food stamps, unemployment, etc.....
Those of course would have come for anyone in the white house after the financial meltdown....Losing the election was a bullet dodged by Romney
I hope they all choke and nobody knows the Heimlich Maneuver! When it comes to kissing Wall Street and Corporate butt you can call that the hindlick maneuver! They have already effectively destroyed the working and middle class!
Right! Damn Obama!!!!
The election is over? The elections are perpetual. The second in which they call the elections over begins a slow death of said candidate; a pathological far more greedy than the incumbent will step in. The elections are over, yet they still posture.
If I was a GOP member I'd bring a food tester to that dinner!
President Obama has been Bending over and Kissing the Repukes azz his first 4 yrs in office! It got so good to them that now they want him to perform oral sex on each of them and still, he won't get a dang thing until he gives up the American People!
Harry Reid, should be taken out taken out to an Out House to have his naked butt whipped, then shipped back to wherever he came from!
Folks, we elected the wrong person to be President, it should have been DENNIS KUCINICH! Now look what's going to happen to us, for Obama is just as BAD AS BILL CLINTON! Clinton gave them NAFTA; why we've lost our plants and jobs; now Obama is going to make it SWEET for them to GAMBLE away our life savings into the SS Program, to Wall Street!
Lord knows, I pray I'm wrong about all of this, but Obama has been a CHUMP and PUNK! He blinks, and the Repukes sit back and laugh their greedy evil azzes off! KNOWING, OBAMA WILL CAVE ONCE AGAIN!
Obama will give up Social Security all while Romney and his ilk can WRITE OFF THEIR HORSES, BOATS and PRIVATE PLANES! This crap SICKENS ME!
Progressives destroying America one state at a time. The transformation will soon be complete.
Awwwww...sour grapes?
They say Texas may turn blue by 2016......lol.
No not sour grapes, just facts. The progressive movement will destroy this country and you're right, Texas may turn blue in 2016. If that happens, you will be looking at 30 years of nothing but democrat control. Let's see if they can find enough money to steal to keep their policies going.
Omega,
Who says? YOU?
Blue is a sign of being oxygen deprived....I guess we know why that is and the proof has been demonstrated by those that voted for the feurhrer.
Yeah! Everyone should have more fun without Boehner:) he is a ding bat!!!
And he smacks Obama round way too much. So embarrassing.
If any one Believes tax loopholes will fix the budget you have not been paying Attention to the dept.
Senator Graham, no this nation will not fail.
Because the American people will hold you and your fellow members of Congress and the Senate accountable for taking no timely action when it was fully within your power to do so.
Imposing delay, forcing untenable circumstances against this nation will cost some of you your jobs.
The American people do not need any of you so desperately that we feel that your poor choices are the only answer we have to the success of this nation.
That fact is what is guaranteed on this day.
You mean like 4 years and still no budget?
Justis,
Bud, The Senate IS part of Congress. It is just not a very active part.
Sounds like a good way to proceed, maybe some good will come of it.
Now I can add one more to the list of Hitler - O-bow-to-me comparisons. (#8 added)
1. Both overused symbolism and created of new, personal symbols to replace those already in use
2. Both ignored and tried to change a constitution
3. Both were great orators, but said nothing of substance - good cheerleaders but not in the game
4. Both made outrageous promises to incite the people, knowing that they were imposibble to keep ( I know all pols do, but theirs have been in the extreme)
5. Because of #3 and #4 above, they are/were revered (by some) as an almost-divine savior
6. Both waged a campaign to control the press
And here's the big one:
7. Both villified a small portion of the the population for the country's financial woes: for Hitler it was the Jews, for O-bow-to-me it is the so called "1%." That alone makes the case that O-bow-to-me is the new Hitler.
Newest:
8. September 30, 1938: Hitler met with English PM Neville Chamberlain (and other European leaders), Chamberlain rejoiced, "peace for our time." Less than a year later, September 3, 1939, Germany invades Poland. March 13, 2013, O-bow-to-me meets with Republican leaders. Less than a year later...we shall see!
Haahahahaaahaaaa....
And he walked on water and healed the sick.....
LOL.
Sounds more like wishful blaming than a good comparison...
Wishful blamming you say, nope, that would be Oblammer. He's perfected that to a whole new level.
Nope, it's the other way around...mostly caused by sour grapes. It just sticks in their craw that they lost and we preferred someone other than their savior Romney LOL
I guess that's why his having dinner with republicans, sour grapes, lack of ideas on solving the problems, whaever you want to call it to make yourself feel smug.
In the last national election, 243 Democrats were elected and 241 GOP. The GOP easily kept the House when ALL of the seats were up for election. The House can continue to curb Obama's nonsense. Uh oh, what happened, Dems?
It is not going to get better for you lefties, either. The GOP held the House after the last census, thereby stopping any Democrat chance to gerrymander. Tsk.
Also note that most state governors are GOP (30) as are most state legislatures (27).
Quite a...."loss". LOL
Like I have said Soldier, it doesn't matter what he tries or does, Haters like you will criticize him....Truth be told, you don't WANT things to get better, or the President to suggest anything that might help. That would go against your hatred of him....LOL
Well, everything Obama does is bad for the country. He needs to be criticized.
Regardless of how the GOP wants to look at it,,,,,As Obama showing weakness
or as a chance to bring their own approval ratings up
Right now we have a Democratic President who has an approval rating with the
Republican voters that is HIGHER than their rating of Congressional Republicans
and an approval rating of over 70% among Democrats and Independents.
If Republicans do not show some type of bipartisanship, They WILL lose control
of the House and very likely several Senate seats in the next election.
As an Inde, I do not want to see a one party system and it seems to be in the
path we are on if Republican policies do not catch up with this century.
Bo,
Ah ah. no editing. Congress - House AND Senate - not just the GOP side.
Obama pimp slapped himself. Now he wants to fix it and is crawling back.
Even lefties can see how impotent is Obama now.
Actually if taken alone Congressional Democrats have a fairly decent approval rating
among Democrats while Republicans approval rating among Republicans is,,,,,Dismal
How sweet would it be if Obama made the guests pay for their meals. I can see Graham's receipt "I give GOD 10%, why should I give you...."
Obama sure is not paying. We are.
I know. I sure as hell don't want to contribute toward anything that brings politicians together & reach some kind of consensus. I'd much rather sit here and grouse on the internet.
Remember though, the President lied and played Boehner when he agreed to face to face meetings to hash out issues...
stay skeptical, and expect him to lie about what was said there, like he did with the Speaker. (Bob Woodward backs up the Speaker's version of Obama busting the grand bargain deal thru changing the goalposts, by the way).
And the speaker is a pure vestal virgin.
I'm surprised that he isn't holding this dinner with his "Buddy's" in Hollywood....I have no party grudge! In fact I am changing my registration to Independent! They are all insane (Repubs & Demos) and "hell bent" on destroying this country on behalf of their own egos and personal gain! And it doesn't help to have the most Arrogant and Clueless President the world has ever known........