Bipartisanship, Shmipartisanship

As the new House convened Wednesday, new Speaker Dennis Hastert made sure the rhetoric of bipartisanship was there: "Solutions to problems cannot be found in a pool of bitterness," he declared. Hastert also took care to showcase the symbolism of bipartisanship. He delivered his own opening speech in the well of the House as he allowed Democratic leader Dick Gephardt to wield the gavel from the podium. But can Hastert truly produce the reality of bipartisanship in a chamber that has been torn apart by the politics of impeachment? "He certainly started well by trying to show he's a mensch," says TIME senior writer Eric Pooley. "But there are some really serious wounds to heal. Hastert is first going to have to reach out to Democratic leaders at the top, and then prove he can get business done on the ground between the two parties. What Democrats will be watching most intently is whether or not Hastert operates as an understanding traffic cop."

Democratic members firmly believe they were rolled over by the Republican majority in the last Congress. For them, the proof of Hastert's intentions will come down to nitty-gritty parliamentary rules. "The Democrats will be looking to see whether they can get their bills to the floor for debate," says Pooley. Their new attitude will be show-me, but for bipartisanship to succeed they will also have to demonstrate that they can yield gracefully when they do not have the votes. After all, the country voted for a Republican Congress.