Obama to host Romney for lunch

on 29/11/2012 08:33:06

US President Barack Obama will host his former political rival Mitt Romney for a private lunch at the White House today, their first meeting since the election.

The two men will meet in the White House's private dining room, fulfilling a promise Mr Obama made in his victory speech the night of November 6.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Mr Obama had no specific agenda for the meeting, but he added that the President would like to discuss Mr Romney's ideas for making government more efficient.

Mr Obama has proposed merging some functions of government related to business and has asked Congress for authority to undertake some executive branch reorganisation.

While in Washington, Mr Romney will also meet with his former running mate, Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan.

Mr Ryan is back on Capitol Hill where he is involved in negotiations to avert a series of automatic tax increases and deep spending cuts that have become known as the "fiscal cliff".