An opportunity?

In the wake of President Obama's State of the Union speech, he goes to Baltimore next week to address the Republicans at their party retreat. The Republicans invited him, which is a sign that they are willing to explore working with him. And clearly he not only would like bipartisan support, but now needs it to move on his agenda.

The question is, will his party, especially the activist left, let him build a bipartisan coalition? To get Republicans on board, Democrats will have to give up some things they want, and accept some things they don't want. Democrats want more government involvement, Republicans want less. A bipartisan middle ground will involve a little more government but not a lot more - can liberals accept that?

Thus far the House hasn't been willing to do that, and the Senate didn't even try, leaving Republicans completely out of the (rather sordid) backroom dealing that went on to shape the Senate bill.

By now,of course, the Republicans are pretty bitter at the arrogance of the Democratic majority over the past year, so we may be past the point where a bipartisan reconciliation is possible. And certainly neither the House nor the Senate yet show any signs of changing their behavior, so it really comes down to President Obama. If he wants bipartisan support, he will not only have to court the Republicans, he will have to face off against the ultra-liberals in his own party who have no interest in giving anything up to the Republicans. Is he willing to do that? Is he capable of doing that. Is he, despite his rhetoric, really interested in doing that? Those are the questions.