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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Comments

[DJF]

Sounds like Bipartisanship, where both sides get together and combine their worse policies so they can screw over the rest of us..

[$park?]

Hooray! I can see the giant magnifying glass slowly swinging into place.

[Hyperion]

I hear that a couple members of the GOP have already cuddled up with dear leader. NEEDZ MOAR DRONEZ!

[John]

It just shows how stupid Obama is. The Republican establishment has been dying to sell out to him for five years. Dear leader was just too stupid to understand that fact.

[R C Dean]

I was reading that Boehner is threatening to coalition with the Dems to pass gun control, so there's that.

[John]

I guess he likes the idea of a third party.

[Suthenboy]

Gun control will be nothing but damage to any party that attempts it. Damage the Rs cant afford.

Stupid Rs just cant read the writing on the wall. Fucking Boehner should resign.

[Tulpa (LAOL-PA)]

Then the fuckstick has the nerve to go to the WSJ and complain about how hard his job as Speaker is.

Fine, Boehner, do everyone a favor and step down.

[Suthenboy]

When I read 'Obama reaching out to Republicans' the first thing that popped in my head was captain zero giving a reach around to the likes of McCain and Graham.

[WTF]

No way, he's the type of guy who'd fuck you in the ass without even giving you the courtesy of a reach-around.

[Suthenboy]

That is what surprised me, seems out of character. I figure he is just promising a reach around to get their pants around their ankles.

No way they will fall for that yet again....right?

[Counterfly]

Oh no, they've learned their lesson for sure!

[HazelMeade]

He probably assumes that Rand Paul is racist or something, because he's associated with the Tea Party.
Progressive really believe their own propaganda.

Either that or he knows that Paul isn't going to be cajoled into supporting Obama's big government adgenda.

[BakedPenguin]

There was also the whole thing where Paul stopped an agency appointment and discussed Obama's drone strategy for a few hours on national TV.

I'm thinking Paul isn't going to be invited to the WH any time soon.

[Killazontherun]

Associating with old white racist was never a problem for him when he hobnobbed in Chicago politics or when he picked his vice president. It's probably Obama's handlers who have the problem with Paul for other reasons.

[The Late P Brooks]

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

Paul still won't agreed to allow the Secret Service to strip search him, and strap him naked to a stainless steel bench before the President enters the room.

[R C Dean]

strap him naked to a stainless steel bench

Yes, go on . . . .

[The Late P Brooks]

Gun control will be nothing but damage to any party that attempts it. Damage the Rs cant afford.

But- Surveys Show...!

Seriously, I think they will pass some sort of stupid bullshit like universal background checks, with recordkeeping; you know, federal gun registration. And even if every fucking one who voted for it gets kicked out of office, the new law(s) will not get repealed.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but my expectations are pretty fucking low, these days.

[LTC(ret) John]

"I'd love to be proven wrong, but my expectations are pretty fucking low, these days."

Mr. B, that is just being realistic.

[John]

But they will feel so good about it Brooks. The right people will like them.

[Hyperion]

The law will be challenged by the states, where it will go all the way to SCOTUS, where the law will be upheld as.... drum roll .... A PENALTAX!

[The Late P Brooks]

And, of course, the obligatory reference:

"What are you waiting for, Charlie Brown? Give it a kick!"

[Loki]

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

Of course not! Rand Paul's batshit crazy, dontchaknow. He's gotten into his wacko-bird head that the executive branch should have to explain its rationale for killing American citizens without due process. Whackadoodle! "In your guts, you know he's nuts!" /lefty progtard and John McCain

[Tulpa (LAOL-PA)]

I saw an excerpt of Sen. Coburn from the Sunday morning shows on the news last night. He was tossing BO's salad like there was no tomorrow. I hope that was misleadingly edited, but there weren't any cuts in the middle.