Yesterday a group of elected officials from both parties met at the White House with President Obama to discuss some areas of common ground. The Wall Street Journal reports that "One of Mr. Obama's top priorities is a bill aimed at boosting jobs. In the meeting with top congressional Democrats and Republicans, the president pitched ideas for boosting small-business hiring, including tax breaks. [...]

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said the package currently being negotiated might win a rare bipartisan Senate vote." Soon after the meeting, however, leaders from both parties were setting out their partisan positions. As reported by the New York Times, "A mere 20 minutes after Mr. Boehner and Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate Republican leader, recounted how Republicans had been forced to the sidelines while Democrats hashed out their sweeping health care bill, Mr. Obama trumped them with a surprise appearance before the reporters assembled in the White House briefing room."