President Obama Rejects GOP's Definition Of Bipartisanship

Shortly after President Obama announced plans for a bipartisan health care summit, top Republicans began making demands.  House Minority Whip Eric Cantor said that unless Democrats are willing to "scrap" the bills approved by both chambers of Congress "there's not much to talk about." Additionally, Cantor and Minority Leader John Boehner sent the president what amounted to a "ransom note" laying out preconditions for their cooperation.

However, Obama is no longer allowing Republicans, who have yet to prove that they're committed to solving the nation's health care crisis, dictate the terms of debate.  In a private meeting yesterday, Obama reportedly "accused Boehner of just wanting to kill all his initiatives." Meanwhile, he soundly rejected the conservative talking point that Democrats must fully abandon their ideas in order to be bipartisan.  "That's not how it works," Obama said:

"I'm willing to move off of some of the preferences of my party in order to meet them halfway, but there's got to be some give from their side as well," Obama said during a surprise visit to the White House briefing room following a meeting with congressional leaders from both parties. "I also won't hesitate to condemn what I consider to be obstinacy," he warned.

"Bipartisanship cannot mean simply that Democrats give up everything they believe in, find the handful of things that republicans have been advocating for and we do those things, and then we have bipartisanship," Obama said. "That's not how it works in any of realm of life."

Republicans have consistently blamed Obama for the lack of bipartisanship in Washington, even while refusing to budge an inch from their partisan proposals.  For instance, Rep. Mike Pence was recently stumped when asked for one compromise Republicans would be willing to accept on health care.  "Well, you know, I was, uh, yeah, yeah, look, uh," he said.