Obama to GOP: Let's work together for Americans

TAMPA, Fla. - Trying to bury a year of polarization, President Barack Obama yesterday escalated his appeal for politicians and voters alike to settle differences without tearing each other apart. His plea: "Let's start thinking of each other as Americans first."

Obama made sure to weave that message throughout his stop in Florida, one otherwise intended to promote his economic agenda by announcing $8 billion in high-speed rail awards.

Coming one day after his State of the Union address, and one day before meeting with House Republican leaders with whom he continues to battle, Obama's emphasis on civility was a nod to political reality. He needs Republicans more than ever to get his agenda passed, and he is getting saddled with more public blame for the partisanship he promised to change.

"Nothing that human beings do will be perfect," Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, said as he capped a town-hall meeting at the University of Tampa, where he was received with boisterous support.

"But we shouldn't sort of assume that the other side is either heartless or doesn't care about sick people or is some socialist/communist who's trying to take over the health care system," the president said. "We start getting into these caricatures. They're so damaging."

Just how far to go in working with Republicans has been an evolving calculation for the White House. Obama ended up muscling through a giant economic stimulus plan with little help from the GOP and was poised to do the same on major health care legislation until Democrats lost the supermajority they need - 60 votes - to overcome delays in the Senate.

Obama takes responsibility, but not blame. He still casts Republicans as a party of "no" and calls that their political strategy.

"I want the Republicans off the sidelines. I want them to work with us to solve problems," he said, adding: "I don't want an attitude 'If Obama loses, then we win.' I mean, that can't be a platform. . . . All of us should be rooting for each other."

Party divisions arise less over goals - the main one for both parties is jobs - then how to achieve them. Those policy discussions are even more difficult in this midterm election year, when leaders weigh what's better: working together or targeting the other for defeat.

Obama's challenge is to pull together enough unity to get results this year on weighty items - economic growth, Wall Street regulation, energy and the embattled health care. A Gallup Poll has found him to be the most politically polarizing president in recent history.

Following up on his State of the Union pledge to work with the GOP, Obama will address House Republicans today in Baltimore, where lawmakers are holding their annual retreat. He'll also tour a small business in the same city and announce a new job-creation proposal.