Mixed Messages In Week One

President Bush spent much of his first week in office trying to forge a new spirit of bipartisan cooperation in Washington, reports CBS News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts.

Mr. Bush met face to face with no fewer than 90 members of Congress, compared to 14 in President Clinton's first week and just seven in Mr. Bush's father's first week.

"Some people look at the election and say the country is too divided, nothing will happen, said Mr. Bush at the the White House. "Our mission is to prove them wrong."

Bob Strauss, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, was among the first Democrats to visit with the new president.

"I think the country is starved for some bipartisanship," said Strauss. "The country is sick and tired of this excessive partisanship."

Skeptical Democrats seem impressed so far; struck, they say, by Mr. Bush's "decisive nature."

On issues like education, old foes like Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., have become new allies.

"The overwhelming areas of agreement and support are very, very powerful," said Kennedy of the Bush education plan and the Democratic agenda.

In its first week, the Bush White House packaged an image of the president as a uniter. But Mr. Bush's message has often been at odds with the mission: the Ashcroft nomination, new restrictions on abortion counseling, plans for school vouchers. It's an "in your face" attitude that has some Democrats reluctant to let down their guard.

"We are in a sense the only thing standing between what Republicans propose and what becomes law," said Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota.

Strausss takes a cautious, but optimistic view of the new president. "There are a great many questions still outstanding about George W. Bush. No question about that. But he's off to a good start."

Mr. Bush will wade back into controversy next week when he unveils his plans to fund faith-based initiatives; a proposal that has already raised concerns about the separation of church and state.

He also mended some fences in his own party Friday, as Senate leaders agreed to take up consideration of John McCain's controversial campaign finance reform bill in late March – clearing the decks for the president to roll out the first pieces of his legislative agenda.

The campaign finance measure, sponsored by McCain, R-Ariz. and Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., would outlaw large, unregulated "soft money'' donations from corporations, unions and individuals.

McCain, who made campaign finance overhaul the centerpiece of his GOP presidential run a year ago, had threatened to force the issue to the Senate floor if he and Senate leaders had been unable to agree on a timetable.

Mr. Bush opposes some provisions of the bill, which leaves its fate uncertain.

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