Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

It’s back to base politics for President George W. Bush and Democratic congressional leaders. After an intense but failed effort to jointly push for immigration reform, both sides are off the common ground and back to bashing each other — which is just where each side’s core voters want them, even if it disgusts middle-of-the-road Americans.

Bush used his weekly radio address on Saturday to accuse Democrats of “failing in their responsibility to make tough decisions.” Democrats are gearing up for battle this week on several fronts that will please their loyalists, from hearings investigating Bush’s use of executive power to a renewed effort against the war in Iraq.

Bush hopes that partisan appeals to conservative voters will keep enough GOP lawmakers with him to maintain his war agenda. Democrats calculate that their party’s grass roots are getting impatient for a tougher stance against the White House. Whenever each side steers this directly to their base, look for gridlock ahead.