Lobster, blueberry pie on menu for Obama's GOP lunch

President Obama will have his choice of some of Maine's finest delicacies when he visits the Senate Republican conference on Thursday.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is responsible for providing the conference's catering this week, and a spokesman for the senator says the menu will lean heavily on fare from her home state. Lawmakers at the meeting will enjoy University of Maine lobster salad, Fox Family potato chips, and Wild Maine blueberry pie.

The visit to meet with Senate Republicans is one of four trips to Capitol Hill the president is making this week — he'll also meet with Senate Democrats, and the House conferences of both parties. The trips are part of a recent charm offensive from the White House, with President Obama seeking to find common ground ahead of budget negotiations this summer.

"While he's there, he will want to discuss a range of priorities, including, of course, the conversations he's been having on budget-related issues, the need to reduce our deficit in a balanced way, but also immigration reform and the progress that's being made on that subject in a bipartisan way, efforts to move forward on actions to reduce gun violence, also efforts that involve both Democrats and Republicans," White House press secretary Jay Carney said Monday.

"Other items that are on his list of priorities include increasing our energy independence, the need to do something about the pace of nominations being confirmed and considered in the Senate, judicial nominations in particular, as well as the need for Congress to take action on cybersecurity."

Obama began his outreach to GOP lawmakers last Wednesday, at a dinner with 12 senators. Last Thursday he also had lunch at the White House with House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

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