Just one week in office and Barack Obama is breaking out the booze to schmooze.
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama was welcoming House and Senate leaders from both parties to the White House for drinks Wednesday night as he continues to lobby lawmakers to pass his economic recovery bill despite stiff GOP opposition.
The getting-to-know-you-better session was to get under way after the House voted 244-188 to approve Obama's $819 billion stimulus bill. It was a swift victory for the new president, but it was achieved without a single Republican vote despite Obama's heavy push for a bipartisan show of support on the measure.
Obama must have needed a stiff drink after he was completely rejected by House Republicans.
...House Republican leader John Boehner, of Ohio, one of the bill's lead opponents, was among the two dozen lawmakers invited to the White House.
"Someone reported that this was a celebration party for passage of the bill in the House," Boehner joked to reporters before joining his Republican colleagues in a unanimous vote against the president. "If so, I don't know why they'd want the skunk at the garden party. But I'm going to go and smile."
That's funny. I'm glad Boehner is comfortable as the skunk.
...Besides Boehner, the House guests included Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C.; and Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va. The Senate guest list included Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; and Minority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.
That's a rather intimate gathering, not really much of a party, as it's being billed.
But there certainly is reason to celebrate. The Republicans had a great day, accomplishing a great deal in redefining themselves as fiscally responsible.
Cheers!
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More details on Obama's White House bash:
Here's the list of President Obama's invited guests to the White House cocktail party tonight -- essentially the bipartisan bicameral leadership of the House and Senate.
Six House Democrats, six House Republicans, six Senate Democrats, six Senate Republicans. Their spouses are invited as well.
Hors d'œuvres -- chicken curry, wagyu steak -- will be served in addition to drinks.
President Obama, it should be noted, is not a particularly big drinker, though he has been known to enjoy a vodka martini time and again.
In addition to the congressional leaders below, several senior White House staffers will be in attendance, including press secretary Robert Gibbs, senior adviser David Axelrod, senior adviser Pete Rouse, and deputy chief of staff Mona Sutphen.
The party will come after the House passes the president's stimulus package with no Republican support, which could make for some interesting cocktail party chatter.
Michelle Malkin notes that Obama treated his guests to some pricey grub.
Yeah, “wagyu steak.” $100 per serving delicacy. I had to look it up, too.
On the heels of the most expensive inaugural celebration in American history and passage of a trillion-dollar spending binge that will saddle future generations with unprecedented debt, perhaps President Obama might consider cutting back on such indulgences.
Or is the White House exempt from “shared sacrifice,” Mr. President?
“New era of responsibility?”
Not so much.
Way to sacrifice, Barack!
You have to start walking the walk.
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Guest list here.
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