These things are certainly possible. Yet history hints that American efforts at mending partisan splits usually come in smaller steps. President Jimmy Carter, for instance, praised outgoing President Gerald Ford in his inaugural address for helping to heal the nation after Watergate. The right smile, a handshake, and a few kind words go a long way. This presents a grand opportunity, he says, for rapid mending of a capital hobbled by extreme partisanship.
Some observers warn against anything too extreme.
One way to quietly build consensus is to cooperate on legislation. Education, a prescription-drug benefit, and paying down the national debt are ripe for bipartisan agreement. A President Gore could benefit by being aggressive in cutting taxes, Mr. Ornstein says, especially that Republican favorite, the marriage-penalty tax. A President Bush could seek compromise, for instance, on HMOs. He could make a similar deal in Washington, though it would go against Republican orthodoxy.