Simon from California asks:

After the fierce partisanship of Newt Gingrich and his associates, Republicans espousing the idea of bipartisanship seems hypocritical. Don’t you think the concept of bipartisanship is being rhetorically employed just because it’s currently popular?

Sonia Jarvis responds:

It is precisely because of the fierce partisan wars of the past two Congresses that many Americans are in favor of some attempt at bipartisanship, so I understand why the Republicans may feel it necessary to pay lip service to the concept. All of the major polls show that Americans are fed up with "partisan gridlock" and now with control of the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives for the first time in over 40 years, the Republicans will have the burden of demonstrating to the American people that they can pass legislation favored by a majority of the public. I do not think we will have long to wait to see if the Republicans are willing to support their rhetoric about bipartisanship with legislative proposals that a significant number of Democrats can support as well.

Theodore Lowi responds:

Yes, bipartisanship is being employed strategically, and it is very risky for Democrats to go along, although in the short run it seems to make Americans feel all cozy about their politics. It is amazing that the most partisan election in recent memory has led to the rejection of partisanship, since partisanship may be the only mandate that came out of the 2000 election.

Partisanship was given a bad name by the likes of Newt Gingrich and many Democrats and other Republicans because they used it as a form of assassination, getting rid of their opposition one by one. What we need is not bipartisanship but honest and civil partisanship, where leaders on both sides respect each other in their opposition and where policymaking observes the great appeal of Woodrow Wilson for "open decisions, openly arrived at."

Next question...

1) Is bipartisanship a realistic goal?

2) What will Bush have to do to garner Democrats' support?

3) Is bipartisanship only being discussed because it's currently popular?

4) Won't the real control over the political agenda come with Bush's appointments?

5) Will President Bush face the same political climate as President Clinton?

6) Will the transition in government really change the way the government does business?

The U.S. House of Representatives
The U.S. Senate
The White House