Trump, McConnell: No matter what people say, we're friends

President Donald Trump answers questions with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in the Rose Garden after their meeting at the White House, Monday, Oct. 16, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump answers questions with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in the Rose Garden after their meeting at the White House, Monday, Oct. 16, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) - Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell reaffirmed their alliance of necessity Monday in a raucous Rose Garden news conference that also underscored their sharp differences. The garrulous president claimed they were longtime friends now closer than ever; the reserved Senate Republican leader allowed they share goals and speak often.

It was a spectacle that mesmerized Washington, as Trump and McConnell appeared side by side for more than a half hour, the president tossing off answers - sometimes mini-speeches - on all topics while McConnell, disciplined as always, delivered brief, scholarly explanations about the legislative process and the risks to their party of nominating candidates who can't win.

At various points, the president denounced the Russia-Trump campaign investigation, lauded himself for his record on judicial nominations, argued wrongly "it took years for the Reagan administration to get taxes done," and claimed past presidents hadn't necessarily contacted bereaved family members to mourn lost service members - before backtracking on that assertion when pressed.

In front of a hastily assembled White House press corps, jostling each other on the lawn because there wasn't time to bring out chairs, Trump began his remarks by saluting McConnell and, as he described it, their longstanding friendship.

"We're probably now closer than ever before," the president proclaimed as McConnell grinned stiffly at his side. "My relationship with this gentleman is outstanding."

Trump spent August assailing McConnell for his inability to pass legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act, calling the failure "a disgrace" and ordering McConnell over Twitter to "get back to work." For his part, McConnell has complained Trump had "excessive expectations" for how quickly Congress could act.

Nevertheless, the Kentucky senator seconded the president's latest views.

"Contrary to what some of you may have reported, we are together, totally, on this agenda to move America forward," McConnell said.

Trump defended his former top adviser, Steve Bannon, who is now threatening all-out political war on McConnell and establishment Republicans, including incumbent senators. But the president also suggested he might try to talk Bannon out of some of his threats against Senate Republicans whom McConnell has pledged to defend.

"Some of the people that he may be looking at, I'm going to see if we talk him out of that, because frankly, they're great people," Trump said.

That represented a notable shift from just a couple hours earlier, when Trump had praised Bannon at a Cabinet meeting without suggesting he might step in to protect incumbent Republicans like John Barrasso of Wyoming or Deb Fischer of Nebraska, both of whom Bannon named in a threatening speech over the weekend. Trump's change in tone suggested that McConnell, whose allies regularly do battle with Bannon, might have talked Trump into intervening.

"Just so you understand, the Republican Party is very, very unified," Trump insisted.

McConnell took the opportunity to lay out, for the public and for the audience of one standing beside him, why he and GOP allies work protect Senate incumbents. He listed some conservative Republicans nominated in the 2010 and 2012 cycles, before observing, "They're not in the Senate. And the reason for that was that they were not able to appeal to a broader electorate in the general election."

Trump briefly pursed his lips as McConnell made those remarks, then took a question on another topic.