It’s our way or the highway, says Bush

GEORGE W BUSH’S acceptance speech may have given the impression that he will reach out across the divide that has polarised American society.

His first press conference yesterday put the lie to that. In a hit-the-ground-running exercise the morning after his re-election, the 44th President held his first Cabinet meeting and then fielded questions from reporters for 45 minutes.

During the press conference, he made some soothing noises about bipartisanship with Democrats in Congress but it was couched in such phrases as: "I reach out to everybody who shares our goals."