Professor Andrew Busch has been discussing President Bush or Obama and whether or not Republicans can get along with Democrats. 

Professor Andrew Busch

There's nothing wrong with partisan politics, said Andrew Busch, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College.

To a point.

"There should be some considerable vigor on both sides," he said. "But it's gotten pretty extreme."

When in the majority, Republicans often wielded power like a hammer, leaving angry Democrats firmly entrenched against them.

When Democrats regained the majority in 2007, they did little to relieve the extreme bipartisan atmosphere that sent public-approval levels plummeting.

Now Democrats have expanded their majorities in the House and Senate, but there is much healing to be done, and much uncertainty that either side will ease its sharply bipartisan ways.

"It has the potential to diminish somewhat," Busch said.

He says President-elect Obama will do what he can to bring Democrats and Republicans closer.

"I think Obama will appoint a few Republicans to his Cabinet," he said. "One or two. Bush did (have Democrats) too - Norman Mineta and George Tenet.

"Bush didn't buy much good will with it, but I think Obama will try it. So if that's the case, the parties' partisanship will remain."

While the issues the country and the world face are huge, the disputes that have created the "us against them" gridlock in Washington are unlikely to fade quickly.

Busch said the Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate have been at each other's throats since President Clinton's first term.

"There is a lot of rancor dividing government," he said.

Good. The more fighting the more money I keep in my pocket. 

Michelle Obama's Imagination and First Ladies Generally

Michelle Obama: Moral Busybody Coming to a TV Set Near You

I'm beginning to think that the greatest tyrant isn't going to be Barack Obama, but his wife, Michelle. I've started to come around to the argument that a man who clearly doesn't wear the pants in his house can't much be expected to wear them well in the White House or on the international stage, but then again, I've been criticized as being hopelessly old-fashioned -- not that that's such a bad thing. 

"This is an incredible rebirth of her life," said Catherine Allegor, a first ladies expert and a history professor at California's Claremont McKenna College. "I think she's only limited to her imagination." 

During the presidential campaign, Michelle Obama largely ducked questions about her own White House plans. She declined to single out a specific first lady as her role model, opting instead to say she admired all of them for different reasons. She did announce two specifics: That she wouldn't have a West Wing office and would not tackle major initiatives as Hillary Rodham Clinton did. Instead, she pledged to champion causes such as public service and issues facing working women and military families.

She's "only limited to her imagination"? Dear God! 

I really don't think she ought to do anything at all. Could someone direct me to the constitutional role she's afforded? Which branch does it fall into? 

Public service? I sure hope that the Obamas don't make the mistake of following through on their promises of forced civil service. How ironic would it be that the first black first family be sued for breaching the Thirteenth Amendment?