Lunchdate with Barack Obama and Mitt Romney includes white turkey chili, Southwestern grilled chicken salad

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President Barack Obama invited Mitt Romney over to the White House for a lunchdate Thursday with a menu that included white turkey chili and Southwestern grilled chicken salad. Not a bad lunch for the two men who were out on the road campaigning against each other for the presidency. “They pledged to stay in touch, particularly if opportunities to work together on shared interests arise in the future,” according to a White House press release.

Here’s the full White House statement:

This afternoon, President Obama and Governor Romney visited for an hour over lunch in the Private Dining Room adjacent to the Oval Office. Governor Romney congratulated the President for the success of his campaign and wished him well over the coming four years. The focus of their discussion was on America’s leadership in the world and the importance of maintaining that leadership position in the future. They pledged to stay in touch, particularly if opportunities to work together on shared interests arise in the future. Their lunch menu included white turkey chili and Southwestern grilled chicken salad.

Obama hosts election rival, Romney, for lunch
Steve Holland | Reuters
4:46 p.m. EST, November 29, 2012

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican Mitt Romney fell short in his White House bid but he got a consolation prize of sorts on Thursday as President Barack Obama had him over for lunch in an attempt to display some political harmony in the bitterly divided capital.

The two men sat down for their meal in a West Wing dining room and there were efforts to keep the visit low key. Romney was brought in through a heavily guarded side entryway and officials said only the two men would be present for the lunch. News photographers were not allowed in for pictures.

The lunch, which lasted a little more than an hour, appeared to be little more than a goodwill gesture aimed at salving wounds left open from a bitter campaign in which Obama accused Romney of being an out-of-touch, secretive, rich elitist and Romney said his opponent did not understand how to fix the U.S. economy.

They waged their battle in campaign speeches and toughly worded TV and radio ads that cost collectively hundreds of millions of dollars.

Obama is busily gearing up for his second term. The grandstand from which he will view his inaugural parade in January is being constructed on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House.

Romney, who was said to have been shocked that his campaign fell short, has few apparent immediate plans. A week ago he was photographed visiting Disneyland in California with several grandchildren.

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