Obama calls meeting, both parties to table

Four other lawmakers will attend: for the Republicans, Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia and Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, and, for the Democrats, Representative Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois.

Robert Gibbs, White House spokesman, said no staff would take part in the meeting, which he expects to be the first of many.

While the White House said the date of the meeting was set, Don Stewart, McConnell’s spokesman, said the details were still being worked out. Stewart said McConnell is encouraged by the chance to meet with Obama to discuss issues including trade, reducing spending, and increasing domestic energy production.

But McConnell threw down the gauntlet, taking a confrontational tone in a speech to the conservative-oriented Heritage Foundation. He called for Senate votes to repeal or erode Obama’s signature health care law, to cut spending, and to shrink government.

“The only way to do all these things it is to put someone in the White House who won’t veto any of these things,’’ McConnell said.

He also said Obama would have to move toward GOP positions on critical issues if he wants to save his agenda.

Tuesday’s elections amounted to a national political reset, shifting control of the House to Republicans when the new Congress convenes early next year.

During the campaign, Obama called for extending tax cuts for middle-income families. Gibbs said yesterday that Obama continues to believe that extending tax cuts permanently for upper-income earners is not a good idea but that he would be open to the possibility of extending the cuts for one or two years.

“It’s clear that the voters sent a message, which is that they want us to focus on the economy and jobs,’’ Obama said told reporters, with Cabinet members at his side.

The president said he instructed his Cabinet to make a “sincere and consistent’’ effort to change how Washington works.