The U.S. Supreme Court's opinion perfectly mirrors the messiness and division of this entire episode. But now that the highest court in the land has provided a sense of finality to the presidential debacle, it's time for America to regroup and move on. The coming weeks are a critical time period where we will see men separated from boys. I suspect not. Unfortunately, the truth is that it is much easier to fight, to arouse feelings of anger and injustice, than it is to compromise and cooperate.
Indignation is addictive.
Revenge will be the order of the day. I suspect George W. Bush will spend the first two years of his term trying to repair the damage already done to the legitimacy of his presidency and the next two trying to get reelected. Bush will arrive in Washington with the best of intentions, ready to compromise on a host of issues from tax cuts to prescription drugs. But don't be surprised if the Democrats mistake conciliation for weakness and do their best to mobilize public opinion against Bush's agenda instead of opting for progress. After enduring more than a month of watching politicians and lawyers turn the guts of our democracy inside out, the public is more cynical than ever about government.