Canned heat

Depending on who you believe, Tuesday’s Capitol Hill pow-wow between President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans was: a) the kind of frank but civil discussion of a host of issues that will promote understanding and legislative progress; or b) a food fight. Various reports indicated things got pretty hot behind the closed doors. Kansas’ Pat Roberts said Obama showed a thin skin when challenged and suggested the Prez might take a chill pill before the next mind meld with Republicans. Even Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, a moderate by any measure, sounded irritated. “Their bipartisanship generally consists of ‘Can we have your vote for our bill,’ ” Snowe said. The White House downplayed disagreements, but the level of GOP irk and ire suggests last week’s financial regulatory reform bill might be the last major legislation passing the Senate before the fall mid-term elections. Obama wants a global warming bill and immigration reform this year — plus the Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan. Good luck with that. More than a year of hope and change from Barack Obama has produced a political climate as polarized as ever before.

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