Biden-McConnell cold war unlikely to end at White House
By Alexander Bolton - 05/11/21 06:00 AM EDT
The relationship between President Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has failed to live up to expectations and lawmakers are pessimistic their first face-to-face meeting since the inauguration will thaw what has become a cold war between the two leaders.
Biden and McConnell will meet at the White House Wednesday with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). The stated topic for the first meeting of the so-called “Big Four” congressional leaders with the president is infrastructure.
Republicans say they’re surprised it’s taken Biden this long to invite McConnell to the White House, given the president’s promise to change Washington and unite a divided country.
“[For] the president who professed to be the president of unity and cooperation and bipartisanship and changing the tone, it’s hard to believe that he hasn’t met with the main opposition leader almost three months into the new administration,” said Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.). “It’s shocking to me.”
Thune said the meeting is “probably” a photo-op that checks the box of appearing to be bipartisan though he said, “I hope it’s meaningful.”
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/552759-biden-mcconnell-cold-war-unlikely-to-end-at-white-house
