Have you heard

the one about the divided Democrats? You can hardly avoid stories about divisions in the party of Jefferson and Jackson, but the real story is about the divided Republicans. The day after President Bush's latest take on Iraq strategy, the most devastating critique came not from a Democrat, but from Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Vietnam vet and likely presidential candidate, who suggested that the "surge" is the worst strategic decision since Vietnam.

Republic critics of the war are notable enough, but to really see how the president's party has lost its goose-step discipline, watch them on issues such as the minimum wage, global warming, stem cell research and even health care reform (as in Schwarzenegger's proposals for near-universal health care in California).

We'll still see stories about Democratic disunity. Until Democrats have a presidential candidate, they will not have the structure to achieve unity, and besides, we're talking about Democrats here (remember Will Rogers). And there are a lot of media outlets still in thrall to the Republic party and its corporate sponsors, and they have an interest in perpetuating the story of divided Democrats. Divisions among Republics, however, hold out hope for a reduction in partisanship and, perhaps, some legislative progress.