House Democrats Say They’re Encouraged by Dinner with President Obama - East Idaho News
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House Democrats Say They’re Encouraged by Dinner with President Obama

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Getty PresidentObamaVote2012?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1368069362328Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — President Obama’s charm offensive continued Wednesday night, this time with an easier crowd.

After similar meetings with Republicans, President Obama met House Democrats for dinner at The Jefferson Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C.

Lawmakers who attended told ABC News they were encouraged by their time with the president, but they declined to discuss any specifics.

“It was great. We had a chance to hear the president’s views, and he very graciously listened to ours,” Rep. Rob Andrews, D-N.J., told ABC News.

They discussed “all the major issues you’d see on the first five minutes of the news, and just ways we can work together fixing problems,” Andrews said. “I’m confident in anything this president sets out to do.”

“It was a very good conversation, a lot of different things, a lot of different topics,” said Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y. “We have a myriad of things, of issues to talk about.”

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told ABC News that the president picked up the tab for Wednesday night’s dinner.

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., told ABC News he came away more confident that gun and immigration legislation will move through Congress. Thompson has worked across the aisle on gun control, seeking a compromise with Republican Rep. Peter King of New York.

The dinner was also attended by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Reps. James Clyburn, D-S.C.; Xavier Becerra, D-Calif.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.; and Steve Israel, D-N.Y.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

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