During his press conference today, President Obama explained that although he is always willing to spend time socializing with Republicans, conservative media outlets have demonized him – making him unpopular.

“Republicans feel like given how much energy has been devoted by some of the media preferred by Republican constituencies to demonize me, that it doesn’t look real good socializing with me,” Obama said, pointing to former Florida Governor Charlie Crist as an example.

“I think a lot of folks say, ‘Well if we look like we’re being too cooperative or too chummy with the president that might cause us problems.’” Obama surmised. “That tends to be the challenge.”

Obama asserted that “we invite folks from Congress over here all the time” but that “sometimes that they don’t choose to come and that has to do with the fact, I think, because they don’t consider the optics useful for them politically.”