WashTime: President's 'tin ear' draws bipartisan criticism on Hill

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http://www.washtimes.com/national/20060410-094708-5719r.htm

President's 'tin ear' draws bipartisan criticism on Hill
THE WASHINGTON TIMES


At the height of Friday's contentious Senate debate over immigration legislation, Minority Leader Harry Reid took to the floor and delivered a blunt rebuke of President Bush.
"The one question I ask throughout all this: Where is President Bush? On an issue which is this important, I haven't seen his congressional liaison working the halls," the Nevada Democrat said. "I haven't seen them here."

Although such a reproach may not be surprising coming from a Democratic leader, at least two former senior Bush administration officials say he is right on the mark.

They say that recent White House missteps with Congress, from last week's immigration bill debate to the furor over Mr. Bush's decision to allow an Arab company to control operations at several U.S. ports, have exposed the administration's flawed and failing system for handling its affairs with lawmakers.

"One thing's for sure: There's been a disconnect between the White House and the Hill," said one former White House aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "They have to reinstitute a chain of command because the breakdown is organization."