After the Democrats lost control of Congress last week, President Obama faintly praised new Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell as a leader who “has never made a promise that he couldn’t deliver.” “I would enjoy having some Kentucky bourbon with Mitch McConnell,” Obama added. Why did Obama say this? He wants to demonstrate that he is open to improving his (doomed) relationship with congressional Republicans, and McConnell is from Kentucky. He was almost certainly just trying to be polite, like you do when you run into someone you basically don’t like and make vague plans to “catch up” with them so the conversation can end.
But, the Associated Press reports, on Saturday, McConnell “told state party leaders … the bourbon summit would happen, although he said picking the brand of bourbon would be like picking which daughter he loves the most. He said whether the summit is nothing more than a public relations gimmick remains to be seen.” Now that McConnell has made it clear that he intends to follow up on that drink offer, Obama may have no choice but to sit through a glass of Bulleit (or whatever) with him while Twitter users joke about the official White House photo of the meeting. Fun!
