OUR REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT:

Cheers rang out Thursday evening when President Obama made a surprise visit to the annual congressional baseball game at National Park. Thousands of Democratic staffers began to chant: "O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!" More unexpectedly, Republican lawmakers and staffers, who have been locked in battle with the president for more than six years, began a cheer of their own: "TPA, TPA!" they chanted, voicing approval for Obama's trade promotion agenda.

Obama flashed the GOP side a thumbs up.

Inside the Democratic dugout, according to several senior aides and lawmakers, the president's usual allies were appalled by the scene: He was waving to Republicans in approval of trade legislation that most of them opposed.

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