| | Obama dines with conservative columnists, then meets with liberals
 President-elect Barack Obama made a nearly three-hour stop at the home of conservative columnist George Will Tuesday night, allegedly dining with the Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol and the New York Times' David Brooks, according to a White House pool photographer.
A full guest list "was not made public," the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
“This is for real, folks. The bloggers are going to love this one,” the pool report was said to read.
Noted the Journal: "While some on the left may find Obama’s choice of dinner companions unsettling, these conservative writers have shown warmth towards the president-elect in their columns.
"But I also have to admit that I look forward to Obama’s inauguration with a surprising degree of hope and good cheer," Kristol Dec. 26.
Penned Brooks: "And right now I’m dreaming of the successful presidency this country needs. I’m dreaming of an administration led by Barack Obama, but which stretches beyond the normal Democratic base. It makes time for moderate voters, suburban voters, rural voters and even people who voted for the other guy."
Some have likened Obama to President Abraham Lincoln -- who was known for courting rivals as part of his political strategy.
In a similar follow-up event the next morning, Obama met at his transition headquarters on Wednesday with a group of moderate and liberal columnists and commentators.
Those attending the meeting reportedly included "the Washington Post's E.J. Dionne and Eugene Robinson, the Wall Street Journal's Gerry Seib, National Journal's Ron Brownstein, the New York Times Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd, and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow."
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