[Reporter`s view] Bush`s capability of accommodating opposition

At the Democratic Party's closed-door, annual strategy meeting held at the library of the U.S. Congress on Feb. 2, an unexpected person was present. He was President George W. Bush.

At the time, the Democrats were contemplating the future course of the party following its defeat in the November presidential election. There, President Bush briefed on his proposed policies on educational reform, national defense and Medicare for about 10 minutes, and called for bipartisan cooperation with his party policies.

Noting that he is sincere in wanting to change a political style ridden with hatred, President Bush insisted on conciliation between the Republican and Democratic parties. During the Bush speech, the Democratic members were attentively listening to him, media outlets reported. When Bush answered questions from five Democrats and left the session, all of the participants gave him a standing ovation.

This marked the first time for a U.S. president to take part in his opposition party's closed-door, strategic session. Bush's attendance at the Democratic gathering was made with his acceptance of the Democratic Party's invitation.

The Democratic members welcomed Bush's compliance with their invitation as a token of expressing his friendship with the opposition party. Senate minority leader Tom Daschle commented that Bush's speech was very conciliatory and expressed his satisfaction, stating that the president displayed his willingness to cooperate and compromise with the Democrats on pending issues.

Bush's participation in the Democratic assembly might have been a gesture to address split of national opinion following the bitterly contested presidential election, but at the same time an expression of his desire to regard the opposition Democratic Party as his political partner. In reality, President Bush is exerting effort to accommodate the opposition party by putting forward the educational affairs that the Democrats underlined as one of his policy priorities.

In view of Bush's endeavor to keep his pledge to unify the national goals with concrete action, it is a pity to see that Cheong Wa Dae and the opposition Grand National Party are maintaining a narrow-minded standoff or bickering often involving trading of tirades.