Meet the old boss

For a moment, it seemed the President had changed. Coming off a thumpin' of an election for the GOP, Bush was actively talking about working with the newly elected majority to make things better for the country. Even Dan Froomkin at the Washington Post wondered if maybe, just maybe, W. had learned lessons from the GOP defeat and decided to govern all of the country, and not just those who had elected him.

Is it any surprise that the answer is, "No?"

The President ended his brief cruise on the bipartisanship and returned to his old ways, insisting today on passage of, amongst other things, the controversial Terrorist Surveillance Act and the approval of recess appointee John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations by the current lame duck Congress.

Even if President Bush hadn't learned his lesson, the newly unelected Lincoln Chafee had:

"On Tuesday, the American people sent a clear message of dissatisfaction with the foreign policy approach of the Bush administration," Chafee said in a statement. "To confirm Mr. Bolton to the position of U.N. ambassador would fly in the face of the clear consensus of the country that a new direction is called for." Chafee said Bolton lacks the "collaborative approach" needed to make the United States "the strongest country in a peaceful world."

Without Chafee's support, Republicans on the committee do not have enough votes to recommend Bolton's confirmation.

President Bush clearly confused the terms "working with Democrats" and "ramming my right wing agenda down the Democrat's throats." Cheer up, however, America. This will all be over come January. As long as we make it that far.