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As the nation celebrated the start of another term for President Barack Obama, Republican congressional leaders had a muted, bipartisan response to his second inaugural address.

"Today is a day for all of us in this country to come together," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, told CNN, when asked about the president's speech. "It really doesn't matter who you voted for, which side you're on," Cantor added. "Today is a day we can all come together."

Cantor said the president's speech addressed the issue of upward mobility, a topic of shared concern across party lines.

When asked about online reaction to the speech from Republicans who felt it was too aggressive and too liberal, Cantor again refused to engage in partisan terms.

"I think the president did a fine job certainly laying out what he would like to see happen as far as the future of the country," the second-highest ranking Republican leader in the House said.

"There are plenty of areas of disagreement but there are also some things that, fundamentally, we agree on -- and that is this country is one of opportunity," he continued.

Cantor added that there were partisan differences over "the way we get there to help everybody. ... Hopefully, we can bridge those differences."

Cantor's remarks echoed a sentiment shared by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in a written statement issued as Monday's ceremony at the Capitol was beginning to wrap up.

"Every four years on Inauguration Day, America shows the world that our major political parties can disagree with civility and mutual respect," McConnell wrote.

The Senate's top Republican said Obama's second term represented a "fresh start" for addressing big challenges facing the country, including the issues of federal spending and debt.

"Republicans are eager to work with the president on achieving this common goal and we firmly believe that divided government provides the perfect opportunity to do so. Together, there is much we can achieve."

Asked about what occurred during Monday's lunch attended by the president and some members of Congress, Cantor said, "It's a very nice lunch. It is really a continuum of the spirit of the day where both sides come together. There's bipartisan representation at the tables. There's legislative branch, judicial branch, executive branch all sharing tables. And just nothing but good. Hopefully that kind of cooperative spirit can continue."

Cantor said part of the reason the luncheon ran long was because Obama "went to every table and shook every hand."

CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked Cantor how long the bipartisan spirit and goodwill of Inauguration Day will linger.

"We hope that this lasts," Cantor said, "and then that we can focus on solutions, bridging differences, setting aside differences and trying to focus on what we have in common as Americans." More at http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/21/politics/obama-inauguration-gop-reacts/i
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