WASHINGTON (CNN) -- They may have derided each other on the campaign trail, but House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and President Bush broke bread Thursday after the American people catapulted the Democrats to power in the midterm elections.

Appearing publicly in the Oval Office after an hour-long meeting, the two party leaders said they would work together to find common ground.

"We won't agree on every issue, but we do agree that we love America equally, that we're concerned about the future of this country, and that we will do our very best to address big problems," Bush said.

"We both extended the hand of friendship, of partnership to solve the problems facing our country, the challenges that America's working families face," Pelosi responded.

Bush requested the meeting with Pelosi and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, after the midterm election results handed Democrats control of the House for the first time since 1994.

-- CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney