And Not A Moment Too Soon

But Emanuel said that they recognized they had overdone their initial outreach to Republicans and had offered "a sharp message for the last week.

"For now, the hard-charging chief of staff added, “He has an open hand, but he has a very firm handshake.”

Translation: Yes, the president will continue to do obligatory outreach to the GOP, but he’s not going to be burned again by an out-of-power and toothless minority for the sake of appearances.

Out of power and toothless. I love that! Here's another:

More experienced Washington hands said the White House had been unrealistic to expect to win much Republican support.

“I’m not sure I would describe it as naïve, but wishful thinking,” said John D. Podesta, a former White House chief of staff who ran Mr. Obama’s transition and still informally advises his team.

It's about time the Obama Administration wakes up from this dream of bipartisanship. The 100% nay vote in the House on the stimulus plan should have been one hell of a loud awakening, even for a deaf person.

Look, I'm willing to let Obama run the country. After eight years of the chimpster, Obama simply cannot possibly do anything worse than what we have already been subjected to. I love that the congressional Republicans, in lock step, think, better yet, truly believe, that this country is behind them, and that their 100% obstruction of the Obama Administration will win them majorities in 2010!

Since The Bush Administration surrounded itself with the Washington bubble crowd, they were never able to put forth a message that did not conform to the unreality of their beliefs. With Obama traveling across America and bringing a clear message of his ideology to the masses, (something that Bush had an aversion to), he has the perfect opportunity to continue to build support from outside the Beltway community. And this is important, because the talking heads on (liberal, cough cough) mass media will be unable to continue with their assault that has been based in an unreal version of America, as real America won't be buying it any longer.