Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney arrives at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, for his luncheon with President Barack Obama.WASHINGTON – Three weeks after the election, Mitt Romney made it to the White House.
For about 90 minutes. After an odd arrival in which a man rushed his SUV and ended up getting arrested by the Secret Service.
It wasn’t the start of a term as Romney had envisioned. But it was, at least, all on good terms with the man who defeated him, President Barack Obama.
Over a private lunch on Thursday, Obama and Romney had some white turkey chili, Southwestern grilled chicken salad and – from the reports of it – the kind of actual conversation that never happens while two presidential nominees are bashing each other’s ideas during a campaign.
They shook hands in the Oval Office. They spoke of American leadership in the world. They pledged to keep in touch. Maybe even work together.