Presidents meeting with vanquished rivals: A recent history

President Obama and Mitt Romney shake hands at the end of the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012. / AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

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What to expect from Obama, Romney relationship

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Obama, Romney to meet for lunch

Later today, President Obama will host Mitt Romney for a private lunch at the White House. The president vowed to meet with Romney during his election night speech "to talk about where we can work together to move this country forward," but there had been skepticism about whether the meeting would actually take place.

That's because presidents have not always been quick to welcome their former rivals to the White House after Election Day.

For instance, it was not until 2007 that Al Gore - who had won the popular vote seven years earlier - finally made it to the White House. In November of that year, the former vice president returned to the Oval Office for the first time since the Clinton administration for a reception honoring Nobel Prize winners. Gore, who shared a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring attention to climate change, reportedly spent more than 30 minutes in private conversation with then-President Bush.

Still, Mr. Bush had reached out previously: The two men met on December 19, 2000, roughly one week after the Florida recount was settled by the Supreme Court. The pair reportedly spent less than 20 minutes meeting at the official vice-presidential residence, the Naval Observatory. Mr. Bush, of course, would not move into the White House until January.

In his 2004 reelection campaign, Mr. Bush defeated Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry. Kerry found his way to the White House four months later, though it was not to share ideas: He attended a South Lawn ceremony honoring the then-champion Boston Red Sox hosted by the president. Kerry arrived late to the ceremony, in the middle of Mr. Bush's remarks; the president welcomed him and added, "I like to see Senator Kerry, except when we're fixin' to debate. If you know what I mean." That appears to have been the extent of their interaction. 

After the 2008 contest, Mr. Obama met with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on November 17 - two weeks after Election Day. (The New York Times pointed out at the time that this was nearly the same date that Bill Clinton met with George H.W. Bush after he defeated him in the 1992 election.) The private meeting, in which the two men promised to work together to solve problems, was not at the White House - Mr. Obama had yet to move in, after all. McCain did not meet with Mr. Obama at the White House until February of 2011, for what a McCain spokesperson at the time described as a "productive meeting on a range of issues."

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McCain And Obama Rematch

All indications are that the two men did not build a close personal relationship, however. During the health care fight in 2010, they had a contentious exchange at Blair House that included McCain speaking over an attempt by the president to interject - "can I just finish, please," he said, cutting off Mr. Obama - and the president suggesting McCain was still in campaign mode.

"We're not campaigning anymore," Mr. Obama said. "The election's over." Responded his former rival: "I'm reminded of that every day."

In June of this year, McCain complained that the president had never made a good faith effort to reach out to him after the 2008 election. "Let's get real here," he told The Hill. "There was never any outreach from President Obama or anyone in his administration to me."

Romney, who has stayed out of the public eye during the debt limit fight, is not a member of Congress - which could make it easier for him to build a positive relationship with the man in the Oval Office than the last two presidential losers.

[RollotheNorman]

Willard, we hardly knew ye, and that was our good fortune!

[achememnon]

I think its good that Obama and Romney talk about fixing the mess this country is in. Now Romney can state what he really stands for than flipflopping around because he was catering to the GOP who has been hi-jacked by the tealiban and the birthers and the other baffoons on the right. He can put forth his moderate rational ideas to the President and they can work to make them happen for the good of the country.

[samXXkiley]

coucou,
****President Obama will host Mitt Romney for a private lunch at the White House*****
==========
why not? there was to be only one winner, the two men knew. Barack Obama needs the support of all to lead a country like the USA, and get things done, including that of Mitt Romney.
"au revoir"

[jt92202]

It really makes me ill reading some of these posts and the hatered some have for someone they don't even know! I understand during the elections but after the election it's suppose to be time for the American people to forget about all the talking points and start treating all Americans the same! I say good for the President for being the bigger person, too bad many of his followers don't have the same ideals! Mitt is not in office for anything, he is a citizen of the US, he should be treated as such! And if he has idea's that the US could use then it's a good thing the President is open to talking to him about them. We could learn a lot from both men, they both love America!

[pr_boxer]

Being polite to these right wingers only makes them see you as "weak", they don't understand courtesy.

[sharong59]

I think President Obama will go down in the history book as one of the top 10 Presidents of all time behind George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Lincoln,FDR,Einsenhower,JFK,and Clinton!

[CJoseph1999]

On what should we base this? Certainly not on his first four years. Could he be great? Maybe. Has he been yet? Absolutely not.

There is one big difference between Obama and the others on your list - none of them (except for Clinton who doesn't belong there) blamed others for their shortcomings. They took responsibility from day one. Obama still hasn't four years in.

[lazyrebel]

Really?!?!?! NObama will go down in history as the worse president after Carter, Clinton an Hoover

[fittinguy]

One of the best passive/aggressive statements ever;
"We're not campaigning anymore," Mr. Obama said. "The election's over." Responded his former rival: "I'm reminded of that every day."

[cme25]

I think an excellent move would be for Obama to offer Romney the Secretary of Commerce cabinet position.

[jmn122736]

All these Obama haters keep changing their monikers but the obviously racial-bigotry never changes.

As I have said repeatedly since the election, it really is satisfying knowing they will be choking on that hatred for 4 more years.
Just imagine what will happen if another person of color is elected in 2016.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

Just imagine what will happen if a Woman is elected in 2016!

Hillary/Warren 2016 : )

[CJoseph1999]

If any CEO of a company had the record Obama does, they would have been fired long ago. Massive debt, massive unemployment and only promises to spend even more.

It's not because he is black, it's because his ideology is flawed. However, I don't hate the man, I simply dislike his policies. The liberals have always been and continue to be the angry ones. You are the ones who hate - how many of you said I disagree with Bush? Oh no, you made it clear that you hated the man. I feel sorry for you because you have to live with that every day. Obama is the president for four more years, I'm over it. Life is good.

[RealistWithIdeals]

I think it shows a lot of class to host Romney. It became pretty evident during the campaign that Romney had goals, not plans. Plans to achieve the goals would make the fiscal cliff look like a speed bump, so there is likely very little that Romney can offer in terms of ideas. I doubt that Romney would treat Obama with as much respect if he had won.