Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, talks about the elections and the unfinished business of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012. The first post-election test of wills could start next week when Congress returns from its election recess to deal with unfinished business — including a looming "fiscal cliff" of $400 billion in higher taxes and $100 billion in automatic cuts in military and domestic spending to take effect in January if Congress doesn't head them off. Economists warn that the combination could plunge the nation back into a recession. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Boehner says Obama outreach is hopeful sign
Published: 04:49:50 PM, Thu 07 March 2013 UTC
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker John Boehner says that President Barack Obama's recent outreach to congressional Republicans is a "hopeful sign" that progress could be made in breaking the recent impasse over how to reduce the federal deficit.
Boehner says at a news conference that it was interesting that after months of "campaign-style events" around the country to promote his agenda, that the president was now sitting down to talk to Republican lawmakers.
The Ohio Republican expressed optimism that the Obama's contacts with Republicans could be productive, adding that the president will not get very far if he insists on raising taxes.
Obama had dinner Wednesday with about a dozen GOP senators, and on Thursday was having lunch with the top House budget writers, including Republican Paul Ryan.
Tags:
republican party, ap, george w. bush, john mccain, obama, democratic party, culture_politics, wednesday, thursday, president of the united states, illinois, united states presidential election, 2008, lunch, news conference, agenda, optimism, president barack obama, congressional republicans, barack obama, washington, taxes, progress, hopeful sign, republican lawmakers, federal deficit, dinner, speaker john boehner, ohio republican, house budget writers, campaign-style events, republican paul ryan, dozen gop senators, obama outreach, recent impasse, recent outreach
