Obama lunches with Hillary Clinton amid presidential bid rumor
WASHINGTON, July 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Monday had lunch with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and the White House said the meeting was "chiefly social," denying they were discussing prospects for Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.
Obama invited Clinton to the White House, and the two had lunch together on the patio outside the Oval Office, according to a photograph released by the White House.
The two had grilled chicken, pasta jambalaya and salad.
White House principal deputy press secretary Josh Earnest downplayed the rumor that they were talking about the prospects of Clinton in the next presidential election.
"Despite the intense media interest, 2016 is something that is quite a bit away," Earnest said during a press briefing, noting that they "have developed not just a strong working relationship, but also a genuine friendship."
However, Earnest also said although the meeting was "chiefly social," it was likely Obama and Clinton would discuss recent developments in the Middle East as well as the peace talks between Palestine and Israel that will resume in Washington.
Clinton served as Secretary of State during Obama's first four years as president. Monday's lunch was not the first time the two got together since Clinton stepped down in February.
They saw each other briefly in April in Dallas at the opening of former President George W. Bush's presidential library. In March, Obama shared a private dinner with Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
Monday's lunch came as Obama makes a push to resume Middle East peace talks and as speculation mounts that Clinton might run for president in 2016.
奥巴马与希拉里白宫午餐“叙旧”
新华网华盛顿7月29日电(记者王丰丰 孙浩)美国白宫29日宣布，奥巴马总统当天中午邀请前国务卿希拉里?克林顿在白宫共进午餐。
但白宫否认两人讨论了希拉里参加2016年总统选举的前景问题，只称两人是在“叙旧”。
根据白宫发布的一张照片，两人在白宫椭圆形办公室外的露台上共进午餐，菜式为烤鸡肉、什锦意面和沙拉。希拉里在白宫逗留了大约两小时。
白宫发言人乔希?欧内斯特在当天的白宫例行新闻发布会上说，奥巴马与希拉里在过去数年中除了工作关系外，还结下了私人友谊，两人这次见面是“叙旧”。他同时表示，两人可能讨论了近期中东局势以及即将在华盛顿重启的巴以和谈。
根据白宫公布的官方日程，这是希拉里卸任国务卿后与奥巴马的第三次见面。前两次分别为希拉里和其丈夫、前总统比尔?克林顿与奥巴马共进晚餐，以及前总统乔治?W?布什图书馆的开幕式。
希拉里被认为是2016年总统选举民主党候选人的热门人选，另一名热门人选为副总统拜登。据报道，希拉里30日将前往副总统官邸拜访拜登。
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