McCain, Graham to meet with Obama

In a possible eleventh hour twist to the fast-approaching sequestration this week, two of President Obama's most vocal GOP critics are heading to the White House.

Play Video

Taxes wouldn't go up under W.H. sequester plan, Obama says

"I've been invited over," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told CBS News. He and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will meet Tuesday with the president, the Arizona Republican said, but the terms of the agenda have not been set.

"I would imagine that it probably has a lot to do with immigration and or sequestration, but I was not told the topic of our conversation," McCain said. "I usually talk about what the president wants to talk about."

McCain - who along with Graham is part of a bipartisan gang of eight senators crafting immigration reform legislation - said he's "sure" something productive could come of the meeting, which grew out of the president's calls to them and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on the issue last week. Rubio will not attend the meeting.

Both McCain and Graham dealt directly with then-Sen. Obama on immigration reform, and sources say that history played a part in setting up Tuesday's meeting.

• Obama exaggerating impact of sequester, GOP senator says
• Obama to governors: Help me get Congress to act on sequester

The more pressing issue, though, which the White House and aides to Graham say might also come up, deals with the blind, across-the-board sequester cuts expected to carve into the federal budget Friday.

Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, McCain said he "won't put all the blame on the president" for lawmakers not having come up with a workable alternative to the drastic cuts, but criticized him over a report that came out this weekend saying the idea for the sequester - hatched amid the 2011 debt ceiling gridlock - originated in the White House.

Play Video

Boehner echoes Obama on sequester talks: "Hope springs eternal"

"The president said during the campaign: Won't happen," McCain said Sunday of the sequester. "I said during the campaign, and so did others say: We've got to stop this from happening. The president has now said it was Congress's fault. We know the president wasn't telling the truth about that."

Still, McCain said today he's grateful for the president's invitation.

"I'm encouraged any time the president wants to talk to me and Lindsey [Graham]," he said. "I mean that. I'm very sincere in that desire."

CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett contributed.

[empirebuilder]

I would like to see Graham and McCain get firm with Obama and pin him down on issues and actions on immigration. And not allow Obama to play wordsmithing, a tactic Obama uses to create multiple perceptions of his comments and avoiding honesty and truthfulness.

Moreover, bust him on Benghazi. Enough of Obama running back to his dark corners when the light shines on his failures to lead. Where was he during those 8 hours? What was he doing to try to save the ambassador and the others?

In the final analysis, it would appear that all of the bluster and whining Obama has done over sequestration is landing on deaf ears of the public. His "crying wolf" tactic is overused, nonsensical and outright sophomoric for a leader.

[zmonkee]

if the meeting is about immigration, I wonder if obo will ask them to leave his uncle alone-- He's only been here ILLEGAL for over 10 years, and also got a DUI in 2011-- but yet...still works at a liquor store??

[zmonkee]

hmmmm, you all are making fun of McCain? He was only a war hero vs. obama, who was in the chooch gang before becoming a community organizer?

[24lomas]

We send these people to congress/white house to work for US citizens only; they work for illegal aliens. That we do not tolerate. Let's replace all these politicians who support amnesty for illegal aliens. Period. They have to work for US citizens. No amnesty for illegal aliens. Illegals must be deported now.

[nearl451]

The article title is a little disengenous. They are part of the group of eight. If it were truly just the 2 of them meeting with the President, it would be even less meaningful.

BTW, the meeting focus is likely immigration (only formative topic they are all interested in). The sequester discussion is only fallout planning at this point.

[bobnjersey]

["I'm encouraged any time the president wants to talk to me and Lindsey [Graham]," he said. "I mean that. I'm very sincere in that desire."]
---------------------------------------------------
and like a two year old ... when nobody is paying you any attention ... you're wailing away and crying about something or another.

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

Graham is the Al Gore of the GOP.