Washington: President George W Bush signaled a more conciliatory approach on Iraq on Thursday as he and leaders of the new Democratic majority in the US Congress pledged to work together but conceded they would have differences.
Bush, whose Republican Party suffered humiliating defeats at the polls on Tuesday, had a White House lunch with Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who was clearly pleased at the prospect of becoming the first woman speaker of the House of Representatives.
Bush called the talks, which included No. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Vice President Dick Cheney, constructive and friendly. He said with the elections over, it was time to address America's challenges.
"We won't agree on every issue. But we do agree that we love America equally, that we're concerned about the future of this country and that we will do our very best to address big problems," Bush said.
Pelosi, who complained bitterly about Bush on the campaign trail, beamed as she sat in the place of honor next to the president beneath a portrait of George Washington in the Oval Office.
"It is very exciting to be the first woman speaker of the House, God-willing if my colleagues support that in another few days. And again as Speaker I understand my responsibility. Speaker of the House, of all the House not just the Democrats and a responsibility to work with the administration to make progress. We made history and we need to make progress and I am looking forward to working with the president to do just that," she said.
Bush sounded willing to accept ideas for a shift in course in Iraq during remarks he made after meeting with his Cabinet.
"I'm open to any idea or suggestion that will help us achieve our goals of defeating the terrorists and ensuring that Iraq's democratic government succeeds," Bush said.
His chastened tone came a day after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation was announced. The nominee to replace him, former CIA Director Robert Gates, is expected to have a more open mind on solving the Iraq crisis.
Democrats easily seized control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, gaining about 30 seats. But wresting the Senate from Republicans took until the final votes were counted in the Virginia contest between Democrat James Webb and Republican George Allen.
Webb, a former Navy secretary for Republican icon Ronald Reagan, was projected to have narrowly defeated Allen, who was expected to concede on Thursday.
Webb's victory will give Democrats a 51-49 majority in the Senate, a margin so narrow that the White House is expected to try to form coalitions with more conservative Democrats to pass Bush-backed legislation.
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