Partisanship goes out of style in D.C.
Saturday, September 22, 2001
A Boston Herald editorial
It's not just that President Bush's Thursday night speech was remarkable for its tone and its substance, although it was all of that. It wasn't just that it buoyed the spirits of nearly all Americans, although it did that too.
What was truly remarkable was the way in which it was received within the walls of the very building where it was delivered. Perhaps that had something to do with the fact the Capitol and those who serve within those walls were quite likely among the targets of the terrorists who struck on Sept. 11. That's a sobering reality with which all members of Congress must make their own private peace.
It was just a scant few months ago that George W. Bush was considered by many to be some kind of pretender to the White House, who owed his good fortune to Florida's secretary of state and a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court. Thursday night that image vanished as lawmakers of both parties rose from their seats repeatedly to applaud the man who had assumed the mantle of commander-in-chief with an assurance that commanded their respect as well. (The rare exception, of course, was the entirely shoddy performance of Sen. Hillary Clinton who when caught on camera looked like she was sucking on a lemon while clapping with all the sincerity of a petulant teenager.) But applause wasn't all the Congress had to offer. On Friday the Senate agreed to restore $1.3 billion to the defense budget for the president's missile defense proposal. The move came on a voice vote, following a bipartisan appeal from the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Carl Levin (D-Mich.), and its top Republican, John Warner of Virginia.
``Our fury at those who attack innocents is matched by our determination to protect our citizens from more terror and by our resolve to track down, root out and relentlessly pursue the terrorists and those who would shelter or harbor them,'' Levin said.
This may not be the end of partisanship, but it will do for now.
Copyright by the Boston Herald and Herald Interactive Advertising Systems, Inc.
