Election 'energizes' because it shows democracy is working, Obama says
| Washington
President Obama waxed both defiant and philosophical in a 74-minute press conference Wednesday, one day after his party lost control of the Senate in midterm elections.
Mr. Obama pledged to 鈥渢ry different things鈥� to improve his working relationship with top Republicans, 鈥渨hether it鈥檚 having a drink with Mitch McConnell or letting John Boehner beat me again at golf,鈥� he said, citing the Senate and House GOP leaders. 聽
But the president also refused to back down from his plan to announce executive action aimed at deferring deportation for another as-yet undefined class of undocumented immigrants, a long-anticipated move. In 2012, the Obama administration deferred deportations for immigrants brought into the US illegally as children, known as Dreamers.
Obama said that acting on his own would not preclude Congress from acting, and that whatever action he takes would be replaced by what Congress does.
鈥淵ou send me a bill that I can sign, and those executive actions go away,鈥� the president told reporters in the East Room of the White House. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a commitment I made not just to the American people and to businesses and evangelical community and law enforcement folks and everybody who鈥檚 looked at this issue and thinks that we need immigration reform, that鈥檚 a commitment that I also made to John Boehner 鈥� that I would act in the absence of action by Congress.鈥澛�
Obama said he would announce his immigration move before the end of the year.
Senator McConnell of Kentucky, likely the next Senate majority leader, said in a separate press conference just before Obama鈥檚 that executive action on immigration would 鈥減oison the well鈥� for bipartisan efforts on the issue.
When told what McConnell had said, Obama seemed undeterred. He also resisted efforts by reporters to get him to characterize Tuesday鈥檚 election results 鈥� after his famous comment four years ago, when he described the 2010 midterm result as a 鈥渟hellacking" for Democrats. On Tuesday, Republicans gained at least seven Senate seats 鈥� more than enough to retake the upper chamber after eight years in the minority. Republicans also gained at least 12 House seats and won three governorships in blue states.聽
Instead, Obama described himself as 鈥渙ptimistic鈥� about the nation鈥檚 future, and energized, even after an election that was seen as a slap at his presidency.
鈥淢aybe I鈥檓 just getting older 鈥� I don't know,鈥� he said. The election result 鈥渄oesn't make me mopey. It energizes me because it means that this democracy is working.鈥�
He credited the Republicans for running 鈥済ood campaigns鈥� and said he felt the American people had sent a message, as they had for the last several elections: that the people they send to Washington need to work hard and 鈥済et the job done.鈥�
But, he added, as president, he has a unique responsibility to try to make Washington work.
鈥淪o, to everyone who voted, I want you to know that I hear you,鈥� Obama said. 鈥淭o the two-thirds of voters who chose not to participate in the process yesterday, I hear you, too.鈥�
When asked if it was time for him to have a drink with McConnell 鈥� after joking about it at last year鈥檚 White House Correspondents鈥� Dinner 鈥� he suggested a certain beverage McConnell's home state is famous for.
鈥淵ou know, actually, I would enjoy having some Kentucky bourbon with Mitch McConnell,鈥� Obama said.
Then he took the opportunity to say nice things about the Republicans鈥� Senate leader.
鈥淗e has always been very straightforward with me,鈥� Obama said. 鈥淭o his credit, he has never made a promise that he couldn鈥檛 deliver.鈥�
Obama added that McConnell has always given him 鈥渞ealistic assessments鈥� of what he can get through his caucus and what he can鈥檛 鈥� 鈥渁nd so I think we can have a productive relationship.鈥�
On Friday, the president is hosting Republican and Democratic congressional leaders at the White House to, as he put it, 鈥渃hart a new course forward.鈥澛�
