The Slapdown of Polarization

It’s not too late for Bush to revert to the Texas model of working with Democrats that served him so well. Before Bush came to Washington and fell under the spell of the neocons, he wasn’t tethered to right-wing ideology. He was molded by Rove and shaped by the intense competitiveness instilled in him by his family. He and Rove have an ongoing contest as to who can read more books this year. “I’m losing,” Bush told reporters, taking a jab at Rove, “Obviously I worked harder on the campaign trail than he did.” Now that Bush has more time, he should add to his reading list Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book on the “Team of Rivals” that Lincoln put together to win the Civil War.

Democrats are equal partners in power, an equation Bush can turn to his advantage. He has a vested interest in working with congressional leaders to share the burden of Iraq and to find agreement on some domestic issues. Bush can learn from the way President Clinton charted his comeback after the Democrats’ loss of Congress in 1994. Clinton “triangulated,” joining with the Republicans to pass welfare reform and a balanced budget and distancing himself from the old-line liberal Democrats. Clinton cared more about his legacy than any bond with congressional Democrats. One-party rule hadn’t worked for him anyway; the Democratic-controlled Congress never even gave his wife’s health-care plan a vote.

Clinton found a kindred spirit in Speaker Newt Gingrich. The two men became so enamored of each other’s brilliance and grasp of the big picture that monitors were assigned on each side. Majority leader Dick Armey, who was there to rein in Newt’s enthusiasms, recalls Vice President Al Gore, acting as a check on Clinton, physically restraining the president from giving away too much to his negotiating partner.

It’s hard to imagine Bush, who delegates most policy discussions, having that kind of robust relationship with the genteel and disciplined Speaker-elect, Nancy Pelosi. These are more constrained personalities than the impetuous and undisciplined president and Speaker of 12 years ago. But the imperative is the same. The voters have spoken.

© 2006