Clinton, Lott forge fragile bond over fed budget deal

President Clinton and Sen Trent Lott, by showing a willingness to compromise to forge a federal budget agreement, have demonstrated an understanding of the political price that ideological stalemate entails. The agreement is far from becoming law, however, and compromise is not likely to remain the order of the day. Clinton must continue to lead efforts to compromise, but his ability and perhaps will to do so are diminishing.
Together with House Speaker Newt Gingrich's moves toward the center, the Clinton-Lott nexus is significant because it shows that both leaders' recognize the political price of the ideological stalemate that [...]