Clinton has already fired back, issuing an even- later-night veto of a $33 billion measure that was to fund the Congress, the White House and the Treasury Department — and would have given congressmen a pay raise. "I cannot in good conscience sign a bill that funds the operations of the Congress and the White House before funding our classrooms, fixing our schools and protecting our workers," he said.
Classic stuff — and the game is on. Kept on the campaign sidelines by his own vice president, Clinton is fighting the war in Washington, giving free play to Al Gore's priorities while keeping GOPers in Congress tied to their desks instead of getting out the vote at home. And the GOP, after weeks of dutiful negotiating, has decided to take him up on his offer for a fight. "We're not going to get pushed out of town with a bad deal," Hastert told reporters. "You call it a stalemate. I call it fighting for the American people to get good legislation for them."
That's what Gore calls it too. Except that the reason DeLay and Hastert killed the deal (a repetitive-stress-syndrome OSHA regulation measure) was definitely on behalf of business — and is one of the things that tend to make the GOP look mean-spirited once Clinton gets to spinning.
They're also in charge of Congress, as Speaker wannabe Dick Gephardt was all too happy to point out. "This is not a do-nothing Congress, this is a dysfunctional Congress," Gephardt said afterward, tossing in a "they're beholden to special interests" line just to make sure everybody got the point.
But the Republicans figure they've got a trump card: Bush. Not only is he apparently a compassionate guy, he's running for president — and, apparently, winning — on the very theme of ending partisan standoffs. So how could one more bickerfest, one that could last right up until the election, hurt the Republicans in November when one of their own is coming right in to soothe the savage beasts? The logic: Those who side with Republicans will turn out to elect them. Those who want to end the strife will turn out for Bush, and vote Republican. How can they lose?
"To my knowledge, it's particularly not hurting Republican candidates," said Alaska's Sen. Ted Stevens, one of the GOP negotiators whom Hastert and DeLay overruled. "They tell me their numbers have come up."
Of course, Stevens also recommended to GOP leaders that they accept the White House's compromise. And get the heck out of town.