White House Calls Senate Republicans Out Into the Open

[bigtree]

. . .sorta

President Barack Obama would like an opportunity for a televised exchange with Senate Republicans, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday.

Gibbs said that the administration would welcome an invitation for a televised exchange with the Senate GOP, similar to the extraordinary question-and-answer sessions with members of the House Republican Conference at their retreat last week.

"I believe we have been invited to speak to the Senate Republicans, and we will do so," Gibbs said during his daily press briefing.

"I think the President enjoyed the give and take on these issues of importance. You guys seemed to think it was a worthwhile endeavor," Gibbs told reporters. "And I think opportunities like this for both sides are important to talk through our ideas.":

Gibbs said the White House "wouldn't have any problem" with an exchange with Senate Republicans being open to TV cameras, too.

article: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/79125-white-house-warm-to-televised-exchange-with-senate-gop


Briefing by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 2/1/10

MR. GIBBS: I believe we have been invited to speak to the Senate Republicans, and we will do so. Look, I think the President had -- I think the President enjoyed the give and take on these issues of importance. You guys seemed to think it was a worthwhile endeavor. And I think opportunities like this for both sides are important to talk through our ideas. I honestly believe, and I know the President believes this and said as much on Friday, that it may be very rare that everybody in Congress -- 535 members -- and the President agree on every single word in a bill. But there ought to be enough that we can agree on in a piece of legislation that can garner strong bipartisan support to solve the problems that the American people have.

Q Would you insist that the Senate -- if you do it with the Republicans in the Senate, that it also would be available for live coverage the way this was?

MR. GIBBS: We were -- we asked that it be open on Friday and I wouldn't have any problem with it being open if we spoke to the Senate Republicans too. But let me say, look, I think the two biggest things that are on people's minds in this country are creating jobs and two parties working together. And I think there's no better opportunity to show the American people that we're serious about their priorities than to work together on getting a jobs bill passed -- one that cuts taxes on small business, one that increases our investment in infrastructure to create jobs. I think we can show the American people that we hear their anger and frustration and demonstrate it in a way that moves the process forward by working together.

press briefing: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/briefing-white-house-press-secretary-robert-gibbs-2110

[gratuitous]

1. Republican Senators don't "talk" to black men

They give them their drink orders.

[thunder rising]

2. Why narrow it to Senators?

[atreides1]

7. He's already talked to the House Republicans

So it makes sense that the Senate Republicans would be up next.

[T Wolf]

3. ..."the two parties working together" is one of the WH's two biggest objectives? They continue to

NOT LEARN the lesson that all of us can see so clearly.

Until they give up this naive, stupid, destructive tact, not a damn thing will improve.

[Pirate Smile]

4. Love it!

[iceman66]

5. This should be good!

[opihimoimoi]

6. The Party of NO is asking for dialog>? Oh Oh.....train wreck coming up

[bigtree]

10. elephant trainer

[opihimoimoi]

11. LOL... :o)

[glitch]

8. He needs to blast them on their refusal to sign the nuclear test ban and arsenal reduction treaties

And refuse to fund the new nuclear weapons and power plants if they don't.

Instead of them holding him hostage he needs to draw them out of the beltway shadows and hold them up to righteous public disdain.

[KaryninMiami]

9. Sounds like Must See T.V. !

Sounds Fabulous- and if it's anything as delicious as the one on Friday, we're talking two bowls of popcorn!