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Hawaii Gov.-elect Neil Abercombie was one of 23 new governors who met today with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden at Blair House, across the street from the White House.
The lunch meeting also was attended by cabinet members and several presidential aides.
Obama congratulated the governors and spoke of the other visitors who have been to Blair House, according to a White House pool report.
He said state and local government is where the “rubber hits the road” and that governors see the impact of decisions made in Washington and in state capitals.
Obama noted that there were 18 Republicans present at the Blair House, compared to four Democrats and one independent.
“I’m a very proud Democrat, as many of you in the room are,” Obama said. “Though not as many as I expected.
Many of the Republicans in the room campaigned against Obama’s programs.
“We have just had a very vigorously contested election but the election’s over and now I think it’s time for all of us to make sure we are working together,” the president said.
Obama also said he welcomed the governor’s input on how to curb state and federal spending at a time of budget shortfalls.
“We’re going to be interested in hearing from all of you about programs you think are working, but also programs that you think are not working,” Obama said.
“Contrary to the mythology, believe it or not, it turns out that I would love to eliminate programs that don’t work,” he said.
Obama said his top issue is making sure taxes don’t go up for middle class families.
The president said its important to extend unemployment insurance, saying it affects local economies and is important to people of both parties. He said he hopes and expects bipartisan support for extending benefits. He said 2 million people are affected as of today.
He talked about areas of bipartisan interest including education: “I’ve been willing to go after long-held dogmas in my party,” he added), and clean energy, specifically making sure new technology is made in the U.S.
The governors and their spouses also will attend a White House formal dinner tonight.
Abercrombie will be sworn into office as Hawaii’s 19th governor — the seventh since it achieved statehood in 1959 — at noon Monday on the grounds of Iolani Palace.
