I guess that eventually someone in the press would notice that there has been a gigantic rift between the Democrats and republicans in congress. Remember when among all his othe lies, President C-Student promised to raise the level of discourse in Washington? Well, he surely must have meant "raise the level of money in Washington ... that's flowing in to my pockets via the RNC."

Thirty-seven months ago, President-elect George W. Bush stood in the Texas House chamber and called for the nation's leaders to "put politics behind us and work together" after the bitter Florida recount.

"I am optimistic that we can change the tone in Washington, D.C.," he said after the Supreme Court cemented his victory. "I believe things happen for a reason, and I hope the long wait of the last five weeks will heighten a desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past. Our nation must rise above a house divided."

Early in the term, "I had high hopes for Bush" changing the tone, said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.), a voice of civility in Congress. "We were on the high road then, but now I think we've hit an all-time low."

Just this past week, Bush infuriated Senate Democrats and escalated a long-standing partisan feud by making a recess appointment of Charles W. Pickering Sr., a jurist whose nomination had been blocked by Senate Democrats. Also last week, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), who had collaborated with Bush in drafting the education bill, delivered a blistering speech calling the Bush administration "breathtakingly arrogant," dishonest, "vindictive and mean-spirited." House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) fired back that Kennedy's "hateful attack against the commander in chief would be disgusting if it were not so sad."