Obama chooses chicken over steak for lunch

Chicken.

That's what President Barack Obama and some participants in the bipartisan healthcare summit had for lunch Thursday.

The president and his entourage were making their way back to Blair House -- across the street from the White House -- for the afternoon session when a reporter asked what they ate.

Obama seemed either surprised by the question or couldn't remember what he had. His response: "Uh …. chicken."

Lunch options included chicken with vegetables and spinach or grilled salmon, as well as turkey and steak salads.

While many Senate and administration participants stayed for lunch, House members had to fend for themselves; they were shuttled back to the Capitol for a vote during the lunch break, and were expected to be driven back in time for the afternoon session.

As for what the president expects the afternoon talks to bring: "Further interesting discussion."

Besides reporting their lunch menu, the White House pool report noted neither the president nor Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)  wore coats on the walk across Pennsylvania Ave., despite the cold, windy Washington weather. (Illinois lawmakers apparently only wear coats when it dips into the teens.)

As he was leaving the summit for the lunch break, Obama told reporters: “I don’t know if it’s interesting watching it on TV but it’s interesting being a part of it.”