It was billed as a high-noon cease-fire between President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans, but the rare, private Capitol Hill meeting instead turned into a heated shootout at the notion that anyone in the room has bipartisan intentions this election year.
When Obama appealed for bipartisanship on legislation in the six months remaining before Election Day, freshman Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., confronted him, the senator later told reporters.
"I told him I thought there was a degree of audacity in him even showing up today after what happened with financial regulation," Corker said after the meeting. "I asked him how he was able to reconcile that duplicity, coming in today to see us."
Four people who were in the room said Obama bristled and defended his administration's handling of negotiations. Republicans have long complained that Democrats are using heavy-handed tactics to push though Obama's agenda.
On the way out, Obama approached Corker, according to the senator, who had been sitting just to the president's right, to press his case. Corker repeated his.
"I mentioned that there was a very large disconnect between what he was saying and his actions," Corker told reporters.
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[It's about time a Republican came up with some testosterone -- Editor]
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
The Republicans have needed a strong leader. While I admired McCain for his record of service to his country, and for his character, after learning from the Keating debacle, he lacks the leadership qualities needed. As for W, well, if we learned nothing else from Reagen, we should have learned the value of good communication. Is Corker the man?
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