This seems to be how the NYT views the meeting between President Obama and the Republican congressional leadership at the White House yesterday. It told readers that they “aired philosophical differences,” in a meeting to discuss ways to increase job growth.

While it is possible that President Obama and congressional leaders discussed differences in philosophy, it is also possible that they simple exchanged political talking points. Since all of the people in the meeting were there because of the ability to garner political support, rather than their expertise in political philosophy, the talking point explanation might seem more likely.

–Dean Baker

Dean Baker is senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C. He is the author of several books, including Rigged: How Globalization and the Rules of the Modern Economy Were Structured to Make the Rich Richer. Read more about Dean.