One step toward bipartisanship

WASHINGTON — Those who recall that President Bush came to office promising to "change the tone" of politics to bipartisan brotherhood might have been surprised to hear the White House standard for bipartisanship. Turns out the support of only one Democrat — maverick Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia — can make legislation "bipartisan," as it did when Miller joined with Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, a couple of weeks ago in offering a compromise to break the impasse on homeland security legislation.

Bush, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said in a morning briefing, "is now supporting a bipartisan compromise on homeland security."

Keith Koffler, White House reporter for Congress Daily, was puzzled. "How many Democrats support this bipartisan bill?" he asked. "I'm not aware of any more than one Democrat."