January 27, 2010 7:56 AM

Obama Address Won't Unify Washington

By
Alex Sundby
Topics
White House
(CBS)
When President Obama delivers his first State of the Union Address Wednesday night on Capitol Hill, there will undoubtedly be moments when his fellow Democrats stand up and applaud in union with their Republican colleagues.

But, as political strategists Anita Dunn and Kevin Madden (Seen at left) told CBS' "Early Show" Co-Anchor Harry Smith Wednesday morning, that's likely where the spirit of bipartisanship will end for 2010.

"I don't think they will sit around singing 'Kumbaya' at the end of the speech for some reason," said Dunn, a Democratic strategist who served as White House communications director until last fall.

Madden, a Republican strategist, said the GOP will offer a "viable alternative" to the president on stimulating the economy.

"Election years are about the differences between the parties, and that's one of the things you'll see," Madden said.

(Watch their discussion with Harry Smith on "The Early Show" below)

Special Report: Obama's 2010 State of the Union

Their comments differed from those of White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, who said earlier Wednesday that bipartisanship was a must after the victory of Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts last week cost Democrats their 60-vote majority in the Senate.

"We don't have any choice," Gibbs said. "Democrats and Republicans will have to work together. The president will challenge them to do that."

As for what the president has to accomplish in his speech, Madden said Mr. Obama "lost his ability to be an agent of change" in his first year in office, leaving Washington looking "divided and dysfunctional."

"His charge tonight is to go out and to convince the American public again that he can get America functioning again," Madden said. "We know he gives a good speech. He hasn't proven yet he can govern."

Dunn said the public's perception of Washington shouldn't fall completely on Mr. Obama's shoulders.

"Washington looks divided because the Republicans made a decision a year ago that they weren't going to cooperate on anything," Dunn said. "The president has continually reached out as he will tonight, as he will throughout his administration, because it's what he believes leaders do … It's extraordinary what he's managed to do in the face of Republicans saying no to everything."

Madden did provide one glimmer of hope that the two parties might cooperate on what he called the country's No. 1 issue: The economy.

"Any time the focus will turn back to the economy and they'll say we have to get the American economy moving again, they will be unified," Madden said. "Where everyone becomes divided is on specifics."


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  • Alex Sundby

    Alex Sundby is an associate news editor for CBSNews.com

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