Ending the political fighting between the rich and the poor must be the first of a long list of priorities for its next president.

Let us not reserve the better angels only for natural disasters, leaving our deepest and most profound problems to petty political fighting.

"We really have done pretty well, haven't we, for all the petty political fighting?"

Though political fighting among the council membership is inevitable, votes quickly decide arguments and then the executive branch has decided on a course of action.

Opposition from victims' relatives and political fighting have meant that none of the dreamed-of cultural projects has broken ground.

"People are generally tired of politics and political fighting," he said.

"There's a sense that the political fighting will stop," said one State Department official.

"We haven't see political fighting like this in Virginia in modern memory," he said.

But even here, most people interviewed today said they were tired of political fighting.

These mixed feelings created an atmosphere of political fighting, and the people were no longer united behind one goal.