Bush Extends Bipartisan Overtures

WASHINGTON — And on the second day of the new order, elephants and donkeys continued to live together in a kind of interspecies harmony that seemed impossible before Election Day.

Bipartisan peace in our times, or temporary ceasefire?

The test could begin Monday when the GOP-controlled, lame-duck Congress convenes for its last hurrah before the Democrats take over in January.

"Both sides have been magnificent so far," Ron Haskins, a senior fellow at the liberal Brookings Institution, said at a Friday seminar. "Everybody's bipartisan. It's going to last at least another half hour."

President Bush has a fairly substantial to-do list he wants taken care of before the Democratic leadership steers the House and Senate in other directions in January. Included are controversial measures and personalities that long have been the target of Democratic ire.

Despite the potential pending clash, Bush on Friday remained locked in bipartisan mode.

"My attitude about this is that there is a great opportunity for us to show the country that Republicans and Democrats are equally as patriotic and equally concerned about the future and that we can work together," Bush said after a White House meeting with Democratic Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada and Richard Durbin of Illinois, both of whom will be in the majority leadership come January.

"Election's over," came Reid's response. "The only way to move forward is with bipartisanship and openness and to get some results."

"This is a day for looking forward," said Durbin, "as we should, instead of looking backwards to past battles and past elections."

Those past battles and recently past elections have been rancorous. Bush and Reid and Durbin were among those who lobbed high-decibel criticism and allegations across party lines. But on Friday – as there was Thursday when Bush met with Democratic Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi – there was nothing but demonstrations of across-the-aisle love and respect.

The cooperative spirit could be tested beginning Monday when the lame-duck session begins.

Among the battles will be Bush's last-chance effort to win Senate confirmation for U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, who got the job in a recess appointment after Bolton foes blocked the confirmation process. Bolton is out of a job if not confirmed before January.

"This is a guy who's been a terrific U.N. ambassador," said White House spokesman Tony Snow. "He deserves an opportunity to stay."

Bush's first problem in getting Bolton confirmed is a Republican lame duck, Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who was defeated Tuesday by Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. Chafee said this week he still opposes Bolton's confirmation. As a member of the committee that reviewed the nomination, it was Chafee who kept the full Senate from considering Bolton earlier this year.

Asked if Bush might find some other job title to allow Bolton to remain at the U.N. without confirmation, Snow said, "I am not aware of that but I'm not going to rule anything in or out."

Bush also could invite the ire of the incoming Democratic leadership through his efforts to get the GOP-controlled lame-duck session to consider initiatives including an anti-terrorist program to allow for continued warrantless surveillance of suspected terrorists, a concept opposed by many Democrats.

Snow insisted that Bush is not inviting a new round of partisan tension by pushing the lame-duck Congress to consider legislation opposed by Democrats.

"Let's see how it works out," Snow said, defining bipartisanship as "shared responsibility."

So far – for public consumption – the Democratic leaders have been saying they like what they see in the bipartisan overtures from Bush.

Reid said he told Bush "we have two years to see if this will work," beginning with the lame-duck session.

At the end of the Friday meeting, Durbin noted that Bush and Vice President Cheney, red-state politicians, opted for neckwear of a Democratic hue.

"I do want to say thanks personally to the president and vice president for their conciliatory gesture by wearing blue ties today," Durbin said, drawing chuckles from Bush. "From our side, we think that is a symbolic indication and we're off to a good start."