WASHINGTON  As diplomats might say of a meeting between rivals that is just short of undiplomatic, President Obama and Congressional Republican leaders had a full and frank discussion at the White House on Wednesday when they met to discuss how to create more jobs.

The 90-minute session, while described by both sides as cordial over all, was a bit testy at times. Mr. Obama and the Republicans aired their philosophical differences over whether the government should keep spending money for stimulus measures to spur employers to hire, as Democrats favor and the Republicans oppose.

The meeting came on a day when the House voted to extend $31 billion in tax cuts for businesses and individuals, while the Treasury secretary announced an extension of the bailout program for banks, small businesses and troubled mortgage-holders.

According to Republicans’ reconstruction of the session, Mr. Obama started it.

In opening remarks, they said, the president, who campaigned on a pledge of bipartisanship, suggested that Republicans, by their refusal to work with him, “seem to be almost rooting against recovery” and for high unemployment in an effort to make gains against Democrats in the midterm elections next year.