Obama Tries Charm Offensive to Woo Republicans on Deficit
This article is for subscribers only.
As $85 billion in spending cuts hit the federal budget, President Barack Obama is taking the rare step of lavishing personal attention on Republican lawmakers he considers open to making a deal to reduce the deficit.
The president broke bread last night with a dozen Republican senators, hosting a dinner at a luxury Washington hotel near the White House. Today, he plans to lunch with Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee, along with the panel’s top Democrat, Maryland Representative Chris Van Hollen.