Obama urges nation to come together for Thanksgiving holiday

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is urging Americans to put aside partisan differences and come together as a nation for Thanksgiving.

Obama, just re-elected to a second term, says in his weekly radio and Internet address that the country has "just emerged from a campaign season that was passionate, noisy and vital to our democracy."

While the election required voters to make choices, Obama says Thanksgiving offers "a chance to put it all in perspective -- to remember that, despite our differences, we are and always will be Americans first and foremost. `'

In the GOP address, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state said Republicans are ready to work with Obama to avert impending tax increases, big spending cuts and other problems.