Wary Democrats keep a light on at Capitol

WASHINGTON — Life is short. But not as short as a session of Congress when it's only technically in session.

Congress left town for two weeks on Nov. 17. But it's not in recess. On Friday morning, the day after Thanksgiving, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., banged the gavel and called the Senate to order. After roughly 27 seconds, he banged it to a close. The chamber was nearly empty.

Democratic leaders, including Sen. Patty Murray, decided to skip the holiday recess in order to keep President Bush from naming controversial recess appointments, including a new surgeon general. The president can avoid the need for the Senate's advice and consent by making appointments when it isn't in session.

Democrats remember that Bush named John Bolton to the U.N. when they took summer vacation in 2005. A handful of them are now taking turns in D.C. holding down the fort.

The desperation strategy says much about the Democrats' spirits and the climate in the Capitol, which is abysmal.

Democrats are demoralized even though they are in the majority, polls show them popular, and Republican members of Congress are retiring by the dozen.

There's no energy, no enthusiasm, but they have to gear up for what everyone knows will be a dismal end-of-year rush of bills on the war, energy, health care and other issues.

As Thanksgiving loomed, Norm Dicks went to Iraq, Brian Baird went up in popularity with conservative Republicans, and Maria Cantwell went to Cambodia.

Dicks, D-Bremerton, traveled with his friend Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., who chairs the Defense Appropriations Committee. They both voted for the war in 2002 and now oppose it.

Dicks is troubled by news reports that some U.S. military leaders believe the Iraqi government has wasted the breathing room provided by this year's troop escalation.

Baird, D-Vancouver, who until this fall opposed the war, was touted by a Republican group, Freedoms Watch, as part of its $15 million pro-administration media campaign. Freedoms Watch, whose leaders include former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, has been promoting a speech Baird gave Nov. 14 in favor of keeping U.S. troops in Iraq.

Baird's office said the congressman has had nothing to do with Freedoms Watch.

The split between Baird and other Democrats is part of the party's malaise. Some Democrats wonder how they can win crucial Christmas-rush bills if they can't unify on an anti-war message.

Meantime, Democrat Cantwell flew to Cambodia to discuss its poverty. Washington state has the third-largest Cambodian population in the U.S.

Cantwell's trip will promote Cambodia's stability and growth — two things that congressional Democrats would like for themselves. The nonrecess ends next week.

Letter from Washington is an examination of the culture of politics and power in the nation's capital. Alicia Mundy can be reached at 202-622-7457 or at amundy@seattletimes.com.