11-05-2010, 01:18 PM
US President Barack Obama Thursday said he had invited top Republicans to the White House for talks after Congress returns later this month, saying the two sides had to work together.
“We can’t afford two years of just squabbling,” Obama said, after rival Republicans routed his Democrats in Tuesday’s elections to re-take overwhelming control of the House of Representatives.
“I think it’s clear that the voters sent a message, which is, they want us to focus on the economy and jobs and moving this country forward,” Obama told reporters.
“They want to change the tone here in Washington where the two parties are coming together and focusing on the people’s business as opposed to scoring political points.”
The Democratic Party hung onto its majority in Senate, and the next US elections are set for November 2012 when the president will face re-election.
“What’s going to be critically important over the coming months is creating a better working relationship between this White House and the congressional leadership,” Obama told reporters.
“What we need to do is make sure that everyone is pulling together, both Democrats and Republicans,” he said of the White House talks planned for November 18.
“This is going to be a meeting in which I want us to talk substantively about how we can move the American people’s agenda forward. It’s not going to just be a photo op.
“Hopefully it may spill over into dinner, and the immediate focus is going to be what we need to get done during the lame duck session,” he added.
China said Thursday that stable Sino-US ties were in the “fundamental interest” of both nations, after President Barack Obama’s Democratic party took a beating in this week’s key mid-term elections.
“We can’t afford two years of just squabbling,” Obama said, after rival Republicans routed his Democrats in Tuesday’s elections to re-take overwhelming control of the House of Representatives.
“I think it’s clear that the voters sent a message, which is, they want us to focus on the economy and jobs and moving this country forward,” Obama told reporters.
“They want to change the tone here in Washington where the two parties are coming together and focusing on the people’s business as opposed to scoring political points.”
The Democratic Party hung onto its majority in Senate, and the next US elections are set for November 2012 when the president will face re-election.
“What’s going to be critically important over the coming months is creating a better working relationship between this White House and the congressional leadership,” Obama told reporters.
“What we need to do is make sure that everyone is pulling together, both Democrats and Republicans,” he said of the White House talks planned for November 18.
“This is going to be a meeting in which I want us to talk substantively about how we can move the American people’s agenda forward. It’s not going to just be a photo op.
“Hopefully it may spill over into dinner, and the immediate focus is going to be what we need to get done during the lame duck session,” he added.
China said Thursday that stable Sino-US ties were in the “fundamental interest” of both nations, after President Barack Obama’s Democratic party took a beating in this week’s key mid-term elections.