WASHINGTON -- Wow! What a list of things to do for U.S. President-elect George W. Bush. It is long, and the degree of difficulty of almost every item on the list is of Olympian proportion.
Not the least priority is filling the thousands of policy and supporting positions in the new administration. But the personnel work is simple compared to the other demands that will be made of the new president. In his victory speech, Bush restated elements of his policy agenda. It is bold and it is large. And, given the close balance of the Congress, it will be very difficult to fulfill.
The divisions of the nation on policy are great, and the emotions that have attached to these divisions since Nov. 7 have escalated the level of contentiousness. Bush will need to use his moral power to soothe the populace.