After a stormy 104th Congress, and the re-election of Bill Clinton in 1996, several members of the GOP leadership team were dismayed at Gingrich's confrontational style and the GOP's declining popularity.

NPR: Profile: John Boehner, House Minority Leader

Now the president appears to be calibrating his campaign-style efforts to generate public outrage against Republicans by reaching out to GOP legislators, starting with dinner on Wednesday night with 11 GOP senators.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

"No one should be fooled by today's campaign-style event at the White House, " said a statement by Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

CNN: Obama repeats strategy in student loan fight