Obama Lunches With GOP Leadership

Photo Courtesy - Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- After emerging from their closed-door lunch with President Obama, Vice President Biden, and White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley the new House Republican leadership touted in the White House driveway that there were some areas of common ground found.

“It was a very good lunch, and we're able to find enough common ground, I think, to show the American people that we're willing to work on their behalf and willing to do it together,” Speaker John Boehner said.

The new Speaker pushed -- as did the other Republicans in the room -- for a cut in spending.

“Our number-one issue is getting the economy going again and getting people back to work,” Boehner said, “And we believe that in order for that to happen, that we need to cut spending, we need to stop unnecessary regulation that's hampering small business's ability to hire people.”

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the president thought the meeting was “very constructive” and echoed that they agreed that there should be a broad discussions about cutting spending and reducing the deficit.

Republican Leader Cantor said there was a “fairly robust conversation” about the need for everyone to work together “to send a signal that we’re serious about cutting spending,” and that there was some agreement on that. But, as Cantor said himself, the devil is in the details.

“I guess the particulars and the details will be where the disagreements may  lie,” Cantor confessed, “But we're coming out of this lunch committed to trying to do that, because the economy so desperately needs us to work together to send a signal that we should start growing again as America.”

Republican Whip McCarthy said that the main portion of the entire lunch was talking about the economy.

“We looked to places that we could work together on, from jobs to cutting of government spending,” McCarthy said, “And it was a beginning and a start.  And we look forward to having the president on his word where we can move legislation, where we can create new jobs in America."

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Obama Sets Lunch Date with GOP Leaders

Photo Courtesy - Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Obama will sit down for lunch with three Republican leaders at the White House Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced Tuesday. House Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy will attend the lunch.

Gibbs did not provide specifics on what issues will be discussed during the lunch. When asked for details from a reporter at Tuesday’s White House press briefing, he said that "the president looks forward to discussing all issues foreign and domestic."

"Obviously, without a doubt, there will be a heavy discussion of the economy and spending, and I think the president will have a chance to talk through with them many of the things he outlined in the State of the Union,” Gibbs said.

The lunch comes at a time when President Obama is seen as changing his tone. Monday, the president delivered a speech at the Chamber of Commerce as part of an effort to mend his relationship with big business. The president is also set to release his annual budget next week.

A spokesman in Boehner’s office says the Speaker of the House plans to discuss economic issues with President Obama.

“The Speaker is pleased to have an opportunity to speak with the president about our plans to reduce economic uncertainly and create jobs by cutting spending and breaking down barriers to private sector investment,” the spokesman said.

This will be the president’s first lunch with Republican leaders since they took control of the House after the midterm election.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio