McCain: Obama not working with Republicans

WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in an interview published Saturday, said President Barack Obama needs to learn how to be effectively bipartisan.

In a session with editors and reporters at The Washington Times, McCain said the Obama administration has reached out to him only once since the inauguration. On that occasion, a lawyer discussed the possible closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention center.

Obama defeated McCain 53 percent to 46 percent in the November presidential election, with most swing states going into the Democratic column.

"There are things that, statements that then-candidate Obama made during the campaign over and over and over again that obviously he's not staying with," McCain said during the hourlong interview.

McCain said he believes Obama is sincere about wanting to work with Republicans but does not realize that simply talking to them is not enough.

"I've been around for a lot of administrations, and the way you address an issue in a bipartisan fashion is you invite somebody over and you sit down at a table and you say, 'OK, here's our position on this issue, and here's what we want -- what do you want? What's your priority?" he said.