Obama opts for photos, dancing with House Democrats at retreat

CAMBRIDGE, Md. – President Obama held off on giving House Democrats a
preview of his State of the Union address Friday, forgoing formal
remarks during his appearance at the caucus’s annual retreat. Instead,
he opted for photo-ops and a little dancing to Michael Jackson.

In a private event for lawmakers, staff and spouses, Obama said he
was proud of the party’s history-making accomplishments and thanked the
caucus for “a great partnership” during the past two years, according to
aides in the room. But the president spoke only briefly, aides said,
and told lawmakers he was saving his best lines for Tuesday’s State of
the Union.

{mosads}”He is thanking them for how much they accomplished in the last two
years and for the hard work he knows they’ll be doing these next two
years — especially to strengthen the economy and create jobs,” White
House spokesman Bill Burton said.

His remarks were considerably shorter than those delivered by Vice
President Biden, who spoke for nearly an hour earlier Friday as he gave
Democrats an update on the nation’s efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and
Pakistan. Press access was severely restricted during the entire
Democratic retreat, held at the swanky Hyatt Regency resort on the banks
of the Chesapeake Bay. Congressional reporters were allowed in for
Biden’s speech but were kept off the premises entirely during Obama’s
visit.

Democratic aides had said the lack of a formal program for Obama’s
appearance would give him more of an opportunity to meet personally with
lawmakers. By the time he jettisoned the microphone, a line for photos
had formed at the back of the room. An aide said the president later
danced briefly with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and in a circle with
former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Nydia Velazquez
(D-N.Y.). The song, according to the aide, was “Rock With You” by the
late Michael Jackson.

The retreat comes a little more than a month after tensions peaked
between the White House and House Democrats over the tax deal Obama
negotiated with Republicans. Democrats, smarting after the loss of their
majority in November, accused Obama of caving on a top party priority
by agreeing to a temporary extension of tax cuts for the wealthy. After a
testy meeting with Biden, the caucus voted out a symbolic rejection of
the agreement.

Yet the tax package passed the House with bipartisan support, and
Democrats praised Obama for a productive lame-duck session that included
enactment of a repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in the
military.

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Obama has also won gratitude from House Democrats in recent days for his
response to the shooting of their colleague, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords
(D-Ariz.). In a toast preceding his remarks, Pelosi praised Obama’s
speech last week in Tucson, as well as his handling of the state visit
by President Hu Jintao of China and the 50th anniversary of President
John F. Kennedy’s inauguration.

Before his appearance, House Democrats downplayed any lingering tensions.

“There
were tensions then. There are tensions now. We can disagree within our
party without doing damage to our party,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver
(D-Mo.), the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. “The tensions
are not at a point where people are saying we need an insurgency.”

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), the caucus vice chairman, said
Thursday that Democrats might have occasional disagreements with the
president, but “we’re not going to eat our own.”

“As diverse as
we are in our thoughts and in our backgrounds, at the end of the day,
we’re interested in moving this country forward, and we know that we
elected Barack Obama to be our leader,” Becerra said. “And so we are
hoping that he’ll make the best decisions, cast the best judgments that
will do exactly that.

“But we’re not going to eat our own, and we know that he is trying to
lead, and we respect that and want to honor that,” he said.