Changing the Tone in Washington????

President-elect Bush has talked about his desire to change the tone in Washington.  The confirmation hearings for Attorney General designate John Ashcroft is a perfect illustration for what can be and what is and hopefully has been. 

John Ashcroft was forever polite, calm, thankful, appreciate to have the opportunity to explain, but was persistent in presenting his message.  I will enforce the law… I will enforce the law….I will enforce the law. 

While the opposition lead by Senator Kennedy took the low road and presented a stark contrast.  Chairman Leahy, Charles Schumer and Dick Durbin took that low road as well but with a little more class and subtlety than Kennedy.   The Senator from Massachusetts was in full “Jackal mode”.  The Senator was full of bluster, loud, red faced, looking for the kill.  Many times he looked just on the edge of losing it!  The only thing he may have killed is his style of advocacy, hopefully. 

What causes a once respected Senator to dip to this level? What drives a party to condone this gutter level of opposition? 

Part of the answer is that is the way it is done in today’s media climate. Any group, no matter how small or inconsequential can get face time of TV.  Their message gets through even though it is a group that was just formed yesterday, has three members and a high sounding name.  Because of the state of TV, there is no editing, no common sense.  They desperate for controversial video tape for the hungry news cycle. These little groups have their point of view magnified beyond reality and perception becomes reality. 

The opposition to Senator Ashcroft tried the race card, usually a sure winner in today’s climate, and essentially it fell on its face.  Even their prime race card pawn, Judge Ronnie White disagreed with them.  Dry well there. 

So what is the overriding reason for such behavior?  I think there are two reasons.  First off all the Democrats do not want an Attorney General that will “Follow the Law”.  No nonsense, no wink and a nod, no stonewalling, John Ashcroft will do it and do it down the line and this horrifies the Democrats coming off eight years of scandal, scandal, scandal with many swept under the rug.  Ashcroft will look under the rug.  President Bush may come to have reservation about Ashcroft, but the writing is on the wall.  The law will be observed no matter who is skewered. 

But the overriding issue in all of this is abortion.  That is where the passion explodes.  There is no issue that divides America like abortion.  Both sides have to stand in opposite corners of the room of the issue.  Pro-choice must not let any crack in their defense, even if it includes killing a baby seconds before it is born.  The pro lifers stand at the opposite end and must not allow any abortion even it is minutes after having sex with a pill.  Many times when reality closes in on the pro-lifers, when a loved one has an unplanned pregnancy their view may change.  There is no common ground.  

The issue provides the passion.  The biggest fight in the confirmation will be about abortion.  The biggest fight during the administration will be about Supreme Court nominations… get used to it. 

The real measure of the new president will be how he defuses this issue.  Minds have to be moved, reason has to prevail, and unfortunately pragmatism must be the order of the day for a time.  It will tax the new president to its limit to “move hearts” and eventually move minds and finally to move votes. 

The comment during the confirmation was that “it is decided.”  This was to assure the opposition, but in reality it has not been decided.  It is a temporary decision, a temporary truce.   It is a close decision and it is a decision that is not decisive and needs time and movement one way or the other to reduce the “jackal mode” that it evokes.