Dinner, Dessert Amid Deals at the White House
SANCHEZ: Political foes or dinner dates? This week, the White House had the hottest table in town. So does presidential deal- making all come down to dinner? CNN's Dana Bash digs in.</s>DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For President Trump, the art of the political deal begins with breaking bread.</s>TRUMP: I remember when Republicans and Democrats would fight like hell, then they go out have lunch together, have dinner together, go back, fight like hell and get a lot of things done.</s>BASH: From Chinese food and chocolate pie with top Democrats at the White House --</s>REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), MINORITY LEADER: Really the atmospherics of the dinner were very friendly.</s>BASH: To a fancy treat from French President Emmanuel Macron in the city of lights.</s>TRUMP: Dinner tonight at the Eiffel Tower. That will be something special.</s>BASH: The Trump approach is that a good meal served a la mode can be the best way to a politician's heart.</s>SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D), WEST VIRGINIA: Everybody says you get a scoop of ice cream. Well, there was a perfectly shaped egg and it was ice cream. And the president only got one, too. He didn't get two. He got one.</s>BASH: Of course not everyone wants to be wined and dined by the president.</s>JAMES COMEY, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR: He called me at my desk at lunchtime and asked me was I free for dinner that night. I said, whatever works for you, sir. And then I hang up. And then I called my wife and break a date with her.</s>BASH: And as commander-in-chief, even the nicest of meals can go even awry.</s>TRUMP: We're now having dessert and we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen. So what happens is I said we've just launched 59 missiles. This is during dessert.</s>BASH: White House guests can expect to be wooed with calligraphy and fine wine.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you like fries with that?</s>BASH: But when it's just him, the billionaire's tastes are a lot more basic.</s>TRUMP: Fish delight sometimes. The Big Macs are great, the Quarter Pounders with cheese. I mean, it's great stuff.</s>SANCHEZ: That was Dana Bash. I am Boris Sanchez. Thank you so much for joining us. Have a good night.