In light of the recent US elections, which were seemingly characterized by polarized partisan politics, is there a possibility for bipartisanship in the United States?

Well, I would hope that the answer to that would be yes, but it really depends on the tone that is set by the bully pulpit of the President. It is hard for minority parties to lead the way to bipartisanship; it is incumbent on minority parties, in this case the Democrats, to respond positively if there is that kind of initiative from the ruling party, which now is the Republican Party.

It really depends on what tone the president sets and what policy he adopts—whether he really does extend a hand of bipartisanship or not. When you do not have power, there is not much you can do from the side. I think it is truly needed, because I think the problems that we face today, whether you are talking about social security or health care or national security, are so mammoth that the only way they can be handled is with some kind of bipartisan approach.