A new era of bipartisanship

I'm trying to think of another example of ghostwritten prose that is more ridiculous. The autobiography of Ty Cobb comes to mind, but it's close.

"We now have the opportunity to build a bipartisan consensus to fight and win the war," he wrote.

Bush said he would submit a budget in February that would make tax cuts permanent and lead to a balanced budget by 2012, which he contended would put the country in a better position to tackle the challenge of changing the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs. He also said he would offer his own plan for dealing with pork-barrel spending by Congress and would ask for a line-item veto.

"Together, we have a chance to serve the American people by solving the complex problems that many don't expect us to tackle, let alone solve, in the partisan environment of today's Washington," Bush wrote. "To do that, however, we can't play politics as usual. Democrats will control the House and Senate, and therefore we share the responsibility for what we achieve."

White House spokesman David Almacy said the president has used the forum of a newspaper guest column, or "op-ed," at least four other times: to commemorate the first anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks; to promote his re-election in 2004; to mark his second inaugural, in 2005; and again in 2005 to note the U.S. response to the Indian Ocean tsunami.

Bush planned to meet Wednesday with his Cabinet to discuss domestic priorities. He was expected to court key lawmakers at a social reception Wednesday evening. Although officials say he is still making decisions regarding Iraq policy and will not reveal any changes this week, he is expected to say he is sending additional U.S. troops there.

Democrats, eager for their turn at power when they take control of Congress, have complained that Bush has kept them at arm's length and has not consulted on key decisions. Even a senior Republican, Sen. Richard Lugar (news, bio, voting record) of Indiana, said Sunday that Bush has been inclined "to not take Congress very seriously" on Iraq policy.

Not only is there no incentive for Democrats to work with this deeply unpopular Miserable Failure. Even his erstwhile (what a bloggedy good word; makes me feel like I'm running with the kool kidz at The Corner...but I digress) colleagues in the GOP are trying to unlash themselves from his sinking ship even as it "surges."

But the question Dems should be asking in response: Will the administration be willing to work with them as they investigate the Pentagon's handling of appropriations for Iraq, the Bush surveillance programs, FEMA...? Somehow, I don't think that fits into Dick Cheney's world view.

UPDATED to correct some squeaky syntax.