Blah-partisan

NPR's Mara Liasson -- she of Fox News fame -- goes out of her way to highlight McCain's supposed maverickiness while impugning Obama's claim to be able to "reach across the aisle."

As usual, bi-partisanship is defined by The Villagers as, well, Joe Lieberman. That is, acting in such a way as to simply piss off your party's leadership and so be popular with the thought-leaders on Sunday morning.

But (and I apologize for not providing a link, 'cause this ain't original thinking on my part, but I can't remember where I saw a discussion of it), isn't leadership -- as opposed to bipartisanship -- not simply being conciliatory to the opposition, but rather persuading members of the other party to agree to your reasonable views? Higher CAFE standards. (Almost) universal health care. Or lower taxes for the rich? Who's bipartisan?