Roll Call
CQ Roll Call May 20, 2013

Obama’s Recast Agenda Faces Doubters

David Greedy/Getty Images
President Barack Obama addresses supporters Wednesday at the Mississippi Valley Fairground in Davenport, Iowa. Obama touted his plans for the next four years to a crowd of 3,500 supporters on his first stop of a two-day campaign marathon.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), speaking on Don Imus’ show Wednesday, said Obama repeatedly failed to reach out to Republicans in his first term.

“When’s the last time he asked [Speaker John] Boehner [R-Ohio] and Mitch [McConnell] to come down to the White House and maybe have a drink? Maybe have dinner?” McCain asked. Obama’s aloof stance has been a frequent complaint among Hill Republicans since the collapse of the grand bargain talks in the summer of 2011.

One GOP aide predicted Obama’s second-term success would depend on how much he reached out to the GOP immediately after the election.

“The more toxic he makes the lame-duck, the more he jeopardizes a second-term agenda,” the aide said.

 

Niels Lesniewski contributed to this report.

 

 

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