In today's WaPo, Larry Sabato, Director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, provides his thoughts on "Judd-head" Gregg's withdrawal in a larger context, saying the time has come for the Obama Administration to "abandon aggressive bipartisanship." Agreed! Sabato goes on to say:
"...[P]leasantries should never be exchanged at the cost of an electoral mandate. Obama secured a higher percentage of the vote than any Democratic presidential nominee since 1860, save for Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. Splitting the difference on issues of principle waters down his mandate and dilutes the changes his supporters expect him to deliver...Leave "national unity" governments to parliamentary nations, and let the American two-party system work."
This echoes what many in the Democratic party have been saying, particularly since the Rethugs have made it clear they have no intention of giving up partisanship. E.J. Dionne also made the same point in a WaPo op/ed "Lost in the Middle." Would that the Obama Administration would recognize there are times for bipartisanship, and times to fight back hard for your agenda. Now is the time for the latter.
