Déjà vu for Goodlatte with Democrats in control

By: By Bob Stuart Media General News Service | The News & Advance
Published: January 16, 2009

For Sixth District Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte, a new Democratic president and a Democratic Congress reminds him of when he came to Washington as a freshman in 1993.

“For the first two years of Bill Clinton’s presidency the Democrats had control of Congress,” Goodlatte recalled.

But Goodlatte also remembers that Clinton did not succeed in being bipartisan, and in the 1994 elections, the Republicans regained control of Congress.

This time, Goodlatte hopes President-elect Barack Obama and Democrats will offer a more bipartisan approach to solving problems.

The congressman is eager to see Obama’s economic stimulus plan and believes that incentives to create jobs should be a key part of it.

Goodlatte is worried about Obama’s selection of former Clinton chief of staff Leon Panetta to head the CIA. Conservatives have criticized Panetta as lacking experience in intelligence operations.

The Valley congressman said while the economy takes center stage, intelligence and national security are still extremely important to the country.

“We need to be constantly vigilant about protecting our freedom,” he said. “We need to maintain a state of readiness in the armed forces and vigilance on the part of the intelligence community.”

Goodlatte enjoyed a good working relationship with President George W. Bush, meeting with him every month to two months at the Capitol or White House.

He has only met Obama once — when the former Illinois senator testified before the House Judiciary Committee in mid-2007.

“I don’t know if he will meet with the minority in Congress. I hope he will do that,” Goodlatte said.

Virginia’s newest U.S. senator, Mark Warner, said he senses that both Republicans and Democrats are eager to partner with Obama on solving the country’s economic problems.

“The American people voted for an end to the partisan bickering,” Warner said.

He said Obama is getting good reviews for his appointments. In talking to members of the Senate, Warner said he has found they all sense that “there is so much at stake so early.”

Warner said with unemployment climbing and abuses on Wall Street, civility might rule in Washington.

“A bipartisan solution is in the country’s interest not the party’s interest,” he said.