Why did Barack Obama invite Mitt Romney to lunch?

Answer 1

In politics, especially after a brutal election battle, it is customary for the winner and the loser to do something to show they have "buried the hatchet." In this case, Mr. Obama had promised after he won that he would invite Mr. Romney to the White House, to see if perhaps they could exchange some ideas on the economy. That turned into a lunch at the White House, with an official photograph of the two men shaking hands. In reality, neither is close; in fact, reporters have noted that President Obama and Mitt Romney don't particularly like each other. But since they are both veteran politicians, they were undoubtedly able to share a courteous lunch; and the picture of the two former rivals at the White House was a positive image for the public to see.