Politico
Last Thursday night–less than 24 hours before President Barack Obama was to participate in a question-and-answer session with House Republicans at their annual retreat–the White House called Mike Pence‘s office with an unexpected request.
Could the event be televised?
Pence and his Republican colleagues were so surprised by the request that they interrupted their dinner at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel to consider their options.
Leadership aides debated the pros and cons. If they let the cameras in, they could try to get Obama to admit on camera that the Republicans had offered alternatives to his policies and maybe pin him down on what they see as his own policy contradictions. But theyd also be giving Obama control of their room on live TV. More…