WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama laid out his second-term agenda on Wednesday, expressing a willingness to work with Republicans in Congress and a resolve to defy them if necessary.

In his first full-scale news conference since March, Obama said he was willing to compromise with Republicans to forge a deal on the nation’s debt and taxes to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” a combination of budget cuts and tax increases that will kick in next year if such an agreement is not reached.

WASHINGTON, Nov 12 (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will
meet business, labor and civic leaders this week ahead of
negotiations with top lawmakers to avert sharp tax hikes and
deep spending cuts that loom at the end of the year, a White
House official said late on Sunday.

The president wants to find “a balanced solution to our
deficit challenges” and a way to move the economy forward, the
official said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Friday he was prepared to compromise with Republicans to avert a looming U.S. fiscal calamity, but insisted a tax increase for the rich must be part of any bargain.

Obama, who was re-elected on Tuesday, reminded Republicans that his approach to avoiding steep tax hikes and spending cuts due in January, which could trigger another recession, had just won the backing of Americans at the polls. His spokesman said he would veto any deal that did not include an extra contribution from the wealthiest.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Newly re-elected President Barack Obama offered on Friday to deal with Republicans to avert a looming U.S. fiscal calamity but insisted a tax increase for the very rich must be part of the bargain.

Obama reminded Republicans that his approach to avoiding steep tax hikes and spending cuts due in January, which could trigger another recession, had just won the backing of Americans at the polls.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will join the battle over the U.S. “fiscal cliff” on Friday for the first time since voters gave him a second term in office, setting the stage for a showdown with congressional Republicans over sharp tax hikes and spending cuts slated to take effect early next year.

Obama is to make a statement from the East Room of the White House at 1:05 p.m. EST. His opening move in what is expected to be a tense negotiation to avert the so-called “fiscal cliff” was telegraphed Thursday by a top adviser, David Plouffe, who claimed a mandate from Tuesday’s election victory to raise taxes on the wealthy.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Newly re-elected President Barack Obama will make a statement on the economy on Friday, the White House said, setting the stage for a showdown with congressional Republicans over contentious tax and spending issues.

The president is likely to discuss looming tax increases and government spending cuts – the so-called fiscal cliff – that would go into effect early next year unless Congress acts to prevent them. He is due to make the statement from the East Room of the White House at 1:05 p.m. (1805 GMT).

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama told emergency response officials on Saturday to cut through government “red tape” and work without delay to help areas ravaged by monster storm Sandy to return to normal as quickly as possible.

“There’s nothing more important than getting this right,” the president said at a briefing with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and state and local governments.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama told emergency response officials on Saturday to cut through government “red tape” and work without delay to help areas ravaged by monster storm Sandy to return to normal as quickly as possible.

“There’s nothing more important than getting this right,” the president said at a briefing with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and state and local governments.

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (Reuters) – Putting aside partisan differences, President Barack Obama and Republican Governor Chris Christie toured storm-stricken parts of New Jersey on Wednesday, taking in scenes of flooded roads and praising each other for their response to superstorm Sandy.

Riding in the Marine One presidential helicopter, Obama and Christie got an aerial view of some of the hardest-hit areas of the New Jersey shoreline, and afterward the president promised to cut through red tape to help storm victims.

, Oct 31 (Reuters) – In a close and
bitterly fought campaign for president, it was a day of
contrasts: President Barack Obama joined New Jersey’s Republican
governor to tour storm-ravaged areas, while election rival Mitt
Romney was relegated to a subdued day of rallies in Florida.

The devastation wrought by mammoth storm Sandy allowed Obama
to project an image of a president in charge at a time of
crisis. Tied in polls six days before the election, he is
fighting to gain an edge over Republican Romney whose recent
momentum may be slowing.