Partisan fires smolder as Obama readies speech

WASHINGTON — As President Barack Obama prepares to deliver his State of the Union address tonight, Tennessee and Georgia lawmakers say the early feel-good vibes that fizzled into partisan acrimony may not bode well for future congressional debates.

Both sides are pointing fingers over the stimulus bill — where much of the rancor was focused — which received no Republican votes in the House and just three in the Senate.

Major legislation ahead on an omnibus spending bill, health care reform, global warming and highway construction funding will offer ample opportunities for Democrats and Republicans to make up — or not.

“The problem is, either they don’t know how to work in a bipartisan way or they don’t want to,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., referring to Democrats. “Shaking hands and patting each other on the back is not bipartisan. It’s civil, but it’s not bipartisan legislation.”

Countered Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn.: “All they have is the ability to criticize someone else, and I call on them to quit being so partisan and claiming that Democrats are the ones being partisan. All they want to do is be a stumbling stone and claim something evil’s going on, and shame on them for doing that.”

Still, with the first major battle behind them, lawmakers from both parties said they look forward to hearing what President Obama has to say tonight at 9 p.m. EST.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., said he would like to hear the president’s plans on helping the economy beyond the stimulus bill.

“I hope President Obama will focus his speech on getting to the root of our economic problems, specifically the housing and mortgage industry, and steps we will take to fix them,” he said.

Sen. Alexander said President Obama’s speech should inspire confidence in the American people and offer bold ideas to address the housing slump and banking crisis.

“If we restart housing and the banks start lending again, we’ll get out of this economic mess we’re in,” he said. “People are scared enough, so I’d like to hear a confidence-building speech, not one about catastrophes and vilifying bankers.”

Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., said he hopes to hear President Obama adopt a more moderate stance, as he did in his campaign.

“I hope the president will become more pragmatic,” he said. “I hope he will triangulate and govern from the middle and say, ‘I can’t meet my conservative colleagues, but I’m not going to give the liberal wing of the party way too much.’”

Rep. Davis said the Democrats’ moderate Blue Dog Coalition will continue to advocate for fiscal responsibility, and in President Obama, the coalition has a willing listener.

Though the $787 billion stimulus package was a big financial bite, Rep. Davis said he agreed with President Obama that drastic measures needed to be taken to jolt the economy.

“Obama and his staff are constantly seeking out our positions,” Rep. Davis said. “We don’t like the fact that (the sour economy) is reality. We want to change that and, as we start digging out of this, you will see us continue to talk about fiscal responsibility and a strong national defense.”