MacCallum: ‘What Took So Long’ for Obama To Want To Golf, Drink with GOP Leaders?

MACCALLUM: "I just want to ask you one quick last question. It's on a lighter note. The president said, 'Yeah, I will play golf with John Boehner. I'll have a drink with Mitch McConnell.' The instant things that we got back from viewers were, what took so long? Why didn’t that happen a long time ago? Why would the president just now come to that conclusion?"

EARNEST: "Well, Martha, the president did play golf with Speaker Boehner four years ago. I think the fact of the matter the president is interested in trying to build some relationships with members of Congress, to try to advance some of these priorities. I don’t think that we should all sort of get confused about the fact that what voters -- they are not just looking for the president to sit down to have a drink with Mitch McConnell, play a round of golf with Speaker Boehner."

MACCALLUM: "No, absolutely not. Right."

EARNEST: "They actually want results. And if there are things the president can do differently to make sure we are getting results for the middle class families, for the American people, than he is willing to change his tactics to do exactly that. So if that means another round of golf with Speaker Boehner -- the president jokingly described as letting Speaker Boehner who is excellent golfer, by the way, win the round of golf. I think he's willing to do that. If it means siting down at the table and enjoying some Kentucky bourbon with Mitch McConnell. If that is going to advance our ability to find common ground among Democrats and Republicans, the president will do it as often as necessary."