WASHINGTON — President Obama will have lunch with House Republican leaders at the White House on Wednesday to discuss an array of issues, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced today.
Asked what the topic of discussion would be, Gibbs said he expected there to be “heavy discussion on the economy and spending.”
“I think that the president looks forward to discussing all issues foreign and domestic,” Gibbs added.
Cantor told Fox News Tuesday that he was looking forward to lunching with the president and that he was “appreciative of the invitation.”
“Let’s not forget what happened November 2nd. It was an absolute repudiation of what has gone on in Washington the past few years,” Cantor told Fox. “I think the president got that when in the lame duck session he went along with the tax deal. I’m hopeful it is in that spirit that the president has this lunch tomorrow.”
Cantor said he hoped to discuss government spending and efforts to create jobs with the president. But the Virginia Republican said he would defer to Obama when it came to his administration’s handling of the crisis in Egypt.
“I don’t think it’s helpful for the president to have 535 members opine on foreign policy,” Cantor said. “I think the primary goal should be to stop the spread of radical Islam.”
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and House Majority Whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will join the president at 12:30 p.m.
The meeting comes as the Obama administration is set to release its budget next week.
Republicans have decried the Obama administration’s fiscal policies and have vowed to cut the deficit. Obama has proposed a five-year freeze on nondefense, discretionary spending.
House Republicans have said that won’t do enough to lower the deficit and have proposed their own spending cuts.
Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Boehner, said, “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.”
With AP and NewsCore