United States President George W. Bush promised bipartisan co-operation to the Senate's top Democrats on Friday, as he met with key players from the party.
Bush called Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and the Senate's Number two Democrat, Dick Durbin, to the Oval Office for discussions, in which they pledged to put bitter campaign disputes aside and work together.
 "The elections are over, but the problems haven't gone away and I assured the senators that we will co-operate as closely as we can to solve common problems. My attitude about this is there is a great opportunity for us to show the country that Republicans and Democrats are equally as patriotic and equally concerned about the future and that we can work together."
The Democrats will control Capitol Hill from January.
Bush is pressing for the current Congress, while it is still ruled by Republicans, to pass items deeply controversial to Democrats.
These include legalising his warrantless eavesdropping programme, stalled in the Senate because of a Democratic filibuster threat, and confirming John Bolton as US ambassador to the United Nations, which Democrats have opposed.
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Director: Liu Chi