A word on bipartisanship.......

This photo of Senators McCain and Clinton was taken at a dedication ceremony for The Center for the Intrepid - a new $50 million rehabilitation center for soldiers who lost limbs or were severely burned in the Iraq war.

While the two senators have very different views on Iraq, both McCain and Clinton, who both sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, agreed that support and treatment for wounded veterans is a national obligation.

They've reportedly been friends since a congressional trip to Estonia in 2004 when, according to legend, the former first lady got in a vodka drinking contest with McCain and other male senators.

I have to commend Senator McCain and Senator Clinton. I disagree with both of them on a number of issues, but in view of the poisonous climate in Washington these days, they are setting an example that many others could emulate.

That strange term `bipartisanship' used to be called something different, by the way...patriotism, in the sense of real affection for the country, it's people and it's institutions overriding one's ego, ambitions, or personal agenda.

Neither of the two senators above would be my first choice for president at this time, but if they run against each other in 2008 and events somehow don't overtake us, we might indeed have that chance for the `national conversation' Senator Clinton spoke about.

The country would benefit from that.