President, House speaker balance putting and policy

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama was proud and House Speaker John Boehner was exhilarated.

No, this wasn't a celebration of some big White House-Congress deal on the national debt. Just a couple of weekend golfers hitting the links on a sunny Saturday.

Obama brought Boehner, R-Ohio, to his home course for their much anticipated round, the first time the political rivals and avid golfers have played together.

The four-hour outing came amid heightened tensions between the White House and Capitol Hill over deficit reduction negotiations and U.S. military's involvement in Libya. But aides to both Obama and Boehner said their time on the course was more about stroking putts than striking deals.

The president and the speaker were joined by Vice President Joe Biden and Ohio's Republican Gov. John Kasich for a 9:30 a.m. tee time at the course at Joint Base Andrews where the president is a frequent weekend golfer.

The White House made an exception and allowed the press to watch Obama and his playing partners finish the first hole, a par five.

Biden sank 15- to 20-foot putt. Obama putted for par, tapping a short shot after missing a 12-footer.

Kasich, a former congressman, missed a long 30-footer, then tapped in for par. Boehner, one of the best golfers in Congress, gave a hearty "Oh yeah!" after making a short putt.

Obama patted the speaker on the back as they headed toward the second hole, the president driving their cart.

While Obama is an avid golfer, he rarely plays with anyone outside of his cadre of close aides. His rounds run long, usually well over five hours, and those close to the president say he revels in the chance to get out of the spotlight.

Obama's penchant for privacy extends to his social life. He surrounds himself with a tight inner circle of family and friends, and rarely socializing with other politicians in Washington. In fact, Saturday's golf outing was one of the first times Obama and Boehner have gotten together for anything other than a policy meeting.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said earlier in the week that the outing was "meant to be an opportunity for the speaker and the president, as well as the vice president and Ohio governor, to have a conversation, to socialize in a way that so rarely happens in Washington."

Aides for both men tried to lower expectations that deal on the deficit -- or anything else -- would be reached on the course.

"It may move you a little bit closer toward the kind of compromise that we need to get the things done that the American people expect us to get done," Carney said. "If it takes a few hours out on the golf course to help that process, I think it's a worthwhile thing to do."