Obama: Parties need to cooperate on major issues

(AP) — President Barack Obama says it's time for Democrats and Republicans to work together to do what's right for the country.

Obama tells Democratic activists that "we need to change the way we work with the other party."

The president says Democrats can't solve all the nation's problems by themselves. He says Democrats "need to extend our hands to the other side."

The president says there will be some issues that Democrats and Republicans just don't see eye to eye on. He says that's OK — it's how the U.S. democracy works.

But he says there have to be some issues they can agree on. Obama says now isn't the time to sit on the sidelines or block progress or point fingers, or to do only what's right for a party or poll numbers.

Obama says it's time now to do what's needed to get the country through tough times.