Covered at Reason 24/7: Obama Reaching Out to Republicans as Lame Duck Status Waddles Closer

The 2016 election is already something discussed in the media, which means the president's approaching lame duck status. After following up his election victory last November with more campaigning, the president appears to be trying another approach, talking to the other side.

From CBS News:

President Obama is set to meet with Senate and House Republicans on Capitol Hill is week. The president will spend several days with members of the GOP, after dining with a small group of Republican Senators and Rep. Paul Ryan, the chairman of the House Budget committee last week. White House officials maintain the outreach has nothing to do with the president's slumping numbers, according to CBS News White House Correspondent Bill Plante.

On Sunday, Ryan told "Fox News Sunday," "It's the first time I've ever had a conversation with the president last more than say, two minutes or televised exchanges." Ryan called the conversation "frank" and added that next steps are unclear.

One Republican he doesn't seem to have reached out to yet? Rand Paul.

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