President Obama Urges Bipartisanship In Speech To State Lawmakers
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) —President Barack Obama was talking up the values of compromise and cordiality in a speech to Illinois lawmakers in Springfield, nine years to the day after he announced his campaign for president, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.
In an hour-long speech, President Obama said he learned a more cordial and collaborative form as a legislator in Springfield but politics today has falsely portrayed compromise as a weakness and he urged a change of mind.
"I think sometimes my Republican colleagues make constructive points about outdated regulations that may need to be changed or programs that , even though well-intended, didn't always work the way they were supposed to and where I've got an opportunity to find some common ground, that doesn't make me a sell-out to my own party," Obama said. "We'll talk later Dunkin."
The president jokingly referred to Democratic State Representative Ken Dunkin, whose votes with the Republicans have prevented any Democratic overrides of Governor Bruce Rauner's vetoes.
The president had some statehouse shout-outs, including one to Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, who found his speech optimistic but downplayed lawmakers' often partisan reaction.
"He was listing items we should compromise on such as collective bargaining and that's obviously a divisive issue here and I think it reinforced his point that we don't need those kinds of politics," she said.
President Obama's hour-long speech focused on the politics of hope without directly addressing the Springfield stalemate, although some found inspiration for compromise.
"I think it will give us, some of us impetus to individually cross the aisle and have conversations," said Democratic State Senator Kwame Raoul.
His speech was met with much applause, much of it divided down party lines, something the president noted.
"Just during the course of this talk, it's been interesting to watch the dynamics obviously
"Just during this talk, it's been interesting to watch the dynamics," Obama said.
His remarks, nine years to the day after announcing his presidential run in Springfield, often struck a partisan chord with lawmakers, but outside House Chambers, this was a nostalgic trip.
"It's really more of a homecoming," said White House advisor Valerie Jarrett. "We has a chance to visit his senate office.
Jarrett even tweeted a photo of the President inside it. Although he didn't directly address the Current Springfield standoff, some found inspiration for compromise.
.@POTUS in his old Senate office pic.twitter.com/AzgWmbymFi
— Valerie Jarrett (@vj44) February 10, 2016
Obama left Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield late Wednesday afternoon aboard Air Force One.