[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 46 (Monday, November 20, 2006)]
[Page 2042]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With Senators Harry Reid and Richard J. 
Durbin

November 10, 2006

    The President. I want to thank Senator Reid and Senator Durbin. Dick 
and I have had a really good discussion with them. The elections are 
over; the problems haven't gone away. And I assured the Senators that we 
will cooperate as closely as we can to solve common problems. I, of 
course, said this after I congratulated them on great victories. I know 
they were proud of their team's efforts, and they ran good campaigns, 
and they talked about issues that the people care about, and they won.
    My attitude about this is that there is a great opportunity for us 
to show the country that Republicans and Democrats are equally as 
patriotic and equally concerned about the future and that we can work 
together. Senator Reid and I are both from the West. I'm from west 
Texas; he's from Nevada. And we tend to speak the same language, pretty 
plain-spoken people, which should bode well for our relationship.
    So I appreciate you all coming. I'm really looking forward to 
working with you.

[At this point, Senator Reid made brief remarks.]

    The President. Thank you, sir. Dick, do you want to say something?

[Senator Durbin made brief remarks.]

    The President. I was hoping you would notice that. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 12:18 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also 
included the remarks of Senators Reid and Durbin.