US Democrats ask Bush to hold summit on Iraq

WASHINGTON, Nov 8: Triumphant US congressional Democratic leaders began to flex their new political muscle today by urging President George W Bush to host a bipartisan summit on the Iraq war and find common ground with them on such domestic issues as education and health care.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said the American people voted for change in yesterday's elections.

''I hope that he (Bush) will listen,'' Pelosi said at a news news conference after receiving a congratulatory telephone call from Bush, who also called Reid.

''I told him (Bush) what I said last night -- that I looked forward to working in a bipartisan way with him, that the success of the president is always good for the country and I hoped that we could work together for the American people,'' Pelosi said.

Reid said: ''It is time to put partisanship aside and find a new way forward - at home and in Iraq. Today, I ask the president to convene a bipartisan Iraq summit with the leaders of Congress.'' With the Iraq war a dominant issue, Democrats swept Republicans from power in the House of Representatives and were only one still-contested seat away from dominating the Senate.

Pelosi seems certain to be elected as the first woman speaker of the House, the chamber's top job, when the new 110th Congress convenes in January.

She would replace Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, who announced he would would not seek election as a Republican leader in the new House.

POWER STRUGGLES

But several of his colleagues quickly began to jockey for position to run for leadership posts. Democrats did likewise.

Contested races appear certain in both parties.

A battle was on for the No 2 two leadership position, that of House majority leader, between Democratic Reps. Steny Hoyer of Maryland and John Murtha of Pennsylvania. While Hoyer has an advantage as current party whip, ex-Marine Murtha increased his profile last year and helped alter the debate in Congress on the Iraq war by proposing to extract US troops as quickly as practical.

With many of the newly elected House and Senate Democrats somewhat conservative, Reid and Pelosi will likely have to compromise within the party's own ranks.

Hastert said, ''I take some comfort in the fact that a majority of the winning candidates ran on a platform of common sense conservatism, be they Republican or Democrat. That bodes well for the future of our nation.'' A number of the newly elected Democrats oppose abortion and gun control. But seem certain to back leadership efforts on such matters as raising the federal minimum wage, expanding health care and reducing the cost of college.

Democrats have long pushed for the removal of Donald Rumsfeld as defense secretary and welcomed his resignation today.

''I hope the departure of Mr. Rumsfeld will mark a fresh start toward a new policy in Iraq,'' Pelosi said.

Pelosi reiterated she will not try to force Bush from office.

But she and other Democrats promise oversight hearings that could explore such matters as whether he manipulated the facts to build early support for the Iraq war.

''Impeachment is off the table,'' Pelosi said.

REUTERS