Chambliss Scores Hole-In-One During Bipartisan Golf Game With President Obama
After traveling for much of the weekend, President Obama spent his Monday afternoon golfing with three senators, including two Republicans.
The president played a round of golf today with Sens. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Mark Udall, D-Colo.
The bipartisan outing comes on the heels of a series of dinners and get-togethers the president has had with senators in recent weeks.
The White House today said there is no specific political agenda for Obama's golf outing with senators, but that he's "willing to try anything" to bring the parties together to advance his second term agenda.
"Whether it's a conversation on the phone or… a meeting in the Oval Office or dinner at a restaurant or dinner at the residence, you know, he's going to have the same kinds of conversations and test the theory that these kinds of - you know, this kind of engagement can help produce the results that everybody in this country, or at least the majority of the people in this country who care about and pay attention to these issues, wants to see," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters today.
"The president looks forward to discussing with, and is probably discussing as I speak with the senators, a range of topics. This is in keeping with his engagement with lawmakers of both parties, and in particular Republican senators, to see if he can find some common ground on some of the challenges that confront us," he said. \
The press was allowed a rare glimpse of Obama on the links today as the foursome attempted to sink their first puts. The president, in a white baseball cap, navy blue zip up jacket and dark khakis, chipped his first shot past the hole. He later missed a putt.
The four men appeared to be chatting about their game but the press pool was too far away to eavesdrop on their conversation.
Udall, with a 2 handicap, holds the title of best golfer in Congress, according to Golf Digest, and was paired with the president, who has the highest handicap of the foursome. But it was Republican Chambliss who scored a hole-in-one today at the course at Joint Base Andrews, on the 11th hole.
Chambliss spokeswoman Lauren Claffey confirmed the feat to ABC News and provided the following statement from the Senator on what else was achieved on the links: "We had a delightful day of golf with folks who enjoy playing the game. We talked some business, but it was mainly a day for everyone to get away from the office for a little while."
Aided by his hole-in-one, Chambliss and Corker won the match.
"The President enjoyed the chance to spend some time on the golf course with the Senators. Most of the talk centered on the round of golf and not the latest round of legislative negotiations in Congress," a White House official said.