Sharply Split Congress Faces a Herculean Job Even those steeped in the history of Congress say
there has never been a situation quite like what
Washington is about to face. In 1953, a very popular president, General Eisenhower, dealt with an 83rd
Congress controlled by Republicans by only eight votes in the House and two in the Senate.

But those were easier times, when cooperation across party lines was instinctive on many issues, not just one
tactical alternative as it is today. The new president, whoever he is, will take office with the most tenuous of
electoral margins, considerable public doubt that he won fairly, and a severe level of rancor on Capitol Hill.