Right after yesterday’s meeting at the White House, after being personally thanked by President Obama for his role in getting discussion started, Sen. John McCain (D-Ariz.) told reporters that a guest worker program has to be be part of any immigration bill. He then took a dig at labor unions, which generally oppose guest worker programs: “I would expect the president of the United States to put his influence on the unions in order to change their position,” McCain said.

President Obama himself made no promises at that meeting, noting only that he agreed there are differences of opinion but he’ll try to work through them.

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, meanwhile, told reporters earlier in the day that there isn’t enough support for an immigration bill this year.

“If the votes were there, you wouldn’t need to have the meeting,” he said.