Obama makes birthday joke to Boehner
(CNN) – Kicking off a meeting with congressional leaders Friday, President Barack Obama joked with House Speaker John Boehner about his birthday.
After a statement welcoming House and Senate party leaders to the White House, Obama said, "Excuse me, there is one other point I want to make."
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
The president continued: "My understanding is tomorrow is Speaker Boehner's birthday so for those of you who want to wish him a happy birthday, we are not going to embarrass him with a cake because we didn't know how many candles were needed."
"Yeah right," said Boehner nudging the president.
Instead of a cake it appears Obama bought the House speaker, who will be 63 on Saturday, a rather pricey bottle of wine - Poggio Antico's 1997 vintage brunello.
Boehner's press secretary Brendan Buck tweeted a picture of the present Friday:
[tweet https://twitter.com/Brendan_Buck/status/269486379694686209%5D
CNN's Dana Davidsen and Adam Aigner-Treworgy contributed to this report.
From CNN Politics
- Pressure builds on Biden to act on guns in wake of Colorado mass shooting March 23, 2021 01:03 pm
- Sidney Powell argues in new court filing that no reasonable people would believe her election fraud claims March 23, 2021 12:15 pm
- Postmaster General set to announce 10-year plan including longer mail delivery times and cuts to post office hours March 23, 2021 12:02 pm
- Progressive group launches $3.2 million advertising buy to push federal voting law March 23, 2021 11:01 am
- US and allies announce sanctions against Chinese officials for 'serious human rights abuses' against Uyghurs March 23, 2021 10:32 am
- Analysis: Trump's army takes aim at 2022 touting his election lies March 23, 2021 05:01 am
Bottle of expensive whine???
Not that pricey.
Does this mean that Boehner will vote for Obama now because he got a "gift" from him 🙂
I like the humor!! Lets pray this will break the ice and talks succeed.
Good! I'm for everyone trying to get along and be civil. We need to get things done and it takes both sides and some ego stroking.
After all the abuse the Republicans heaped on him, President Obama still gives Boehner a nice birthday gift and says nice things. Obama is a class act for sure.
I wonder when John McCain will be weighing in on this?
Gulp it down, John! Maybe you and your party will mellow out.
You call it a gift. Romney calls it a bribe.
Dear President Obama,
Although we do not know one another, my birthday is April 14. Hope you'll think of me on my special day. Poggio Antico would suit me just fine.
Cheers!
oh, that was just something Michelle picked up while on vacation... no worries, headed out again soon! advice to Boehner: beware!
That's class.
How nice.
Wine for the whinny,perfect gift.
A nice gift. But why is POTUS giving a nice bottle of Italian wine instead of American wine? I like a really good Brunello di Montalcino as much as anyone, but I find in an aw kward gift from a United States President.
I suppose this will be next in the loser's tirade (Mr. Romney). The President itstead of alledgedly buying votes with federal money is buying Boehner's support with a bottle of wine! Come on Mitt! Spit it out! We know that is what you are thinking!
The president is a a very intelligent, decent and classy man, among other qualities, and that is what galls some of his critics again among many other reasons only known to them. I hope the Speaker drinks the wine, get drunk, cry if he has to, and return to the negotiation table with compromise in his heart. Compromise is what the American people want, and was one of the reasons they voted the way they did this past election.
That's nice of OB, but did you see that push from the speaker?
A bottle of wine may not cost as much as what Mittens promised Boehner with more tax cuts for the wealthy, but it is better than what the inept speaker deserves.
What Obama really said was,you pass this Bill or you won't see your next Birthday.
Even the Speaker of the House got a gift!
I loved the President's remark and House Speaker John Boehner nudging the President. I sincerely wish that they (all of them in the Hill, White House) act like this (like good friends) and work together like this. Fighting is fine during election but once the elction is over-work together for the country. Do not wate time. I wish we could see more of such sweet gesture from these leaders whom we voted to the office to work for the country and for us.
obamas a class act any way you slice it
Ahhh, yes. the trappings of Power.
Anyone notice the price of food this Thanksgiving season?
A gift from one government official to another the cost of which will be borrowed from china to be paid by the American taxpayers.