Anti Federalist
11-07-2010, 12:51 AM
McConnell Softens Tone on Working With Obama
WASHINGTON—Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said he believes he and President Barack Obama can work together despite the senator's blunt calls that Mr. Obama be denied a second term.
In an appearance on WSJ.com's "Big Interview" program, Sen. McConnell was asked what his message would be to the president when they sit down together in coming days. His response: "Just because we have differences on whether it was a good idea to try to turn America into France in two years doesn't mean that the president can't take a new path and address some of the issues he indicated in the past he may share our view on."
Specifically, Sen. McConnell cited promotion of nuclear energy, electric cars and clean-coal technology, as well as completion of a free-trade agreement with South Korea, (FFS - AF) as potential areas of agreement. He also said that President Obama had called him twice since the election.
"What I'm hoping is that the president, like President Clinton, will take the appropriate message out of this election, head in a different direction, and to the extent that he wants to focus on spending and debt and private-sector job growth, I think we'll be willing partners."
Overall, Sen. McConnell struck a more conciliatory tone in the interview than he has in other statements since the election, particularly in a speech Thursday at the Heritage Foundation in which he effectively repeated his call for a defeat of President Obama in 2012.
WASHINGTON—Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said he believes he and President Barack Obama can work together despite the senator's blunt calls that Mr. Obama be denied a second term.
In an appearance on WSJ.com's "Big Interview" program, Sen. McConnell was asked what his message would be to the president when they sit down together in coming days. His response: "Just because we have differences on whether it was a good idea to try to turn America into France in two years doesn't mean that the president can't take a new path and address some of the issues he indicated in the past he may share our view on."
Specifically, Sen. McConnell cited promotion of nuclear energy, electric cars and clean-coal technology, as well as completion of a free-trade agreement with South Korea, (FFS - AF) as potential areas of agreement. He also said that President Obama had called him twice since the election.
"What I'm hoping is that the president, like President Clinton, will take the appropriate message out of this election, head in a different direction, and to the extent that he wants to focus on spending and debt and private-sector job growth, I think we'll be willing partners."
Overall, Sen. McConnell struck a more conciliatory tone in the interview than he has in other statements since the election, particularly in a speech Thursday at the Heritage Foundation in which he effectively repeated his call for a defeat of President Obama in 2012.