Hopes for a political thaw sprout in wintry Washington

U.S. President Barack Obama walks at the White House in Washington before visiting wounded military personnel in MarylandWASHINGTON (Reuters) – A winter storm all but closed down Washington on Wednesday, but hopes for a political thaw sprouted across the U.S. capital. In a city gripped by partisan gridlock, President Barack Obama's plans for a private dinner with a small group of Senate Republicans on Wednesday night – and a trip to Capitol Hill next week to speak to their entire caucus – qualified as groundbreaking. …