Obama met with the Republican party in Baltimore, made a speech and answered questions off the cuff. I don't fully understand what the event was, but it appeared to be some official Republican party retreat. Obama is skilled at talking and thinking on his feet, easily the equal of a parliamentary leader and the ease which with they talk in the hub-bub of a Westminster style parliament; consequently the Republicans came up lacking but not as badly as they have in the media in the past. From the transcript:

So I am absolutely committed to working with you on these issues. But it can't just be political assertions that aren't substantiated when it comes to the actual details of policy, because otherwise we're going to be selling the American people a bill of goods.

I mean, the easiest thing for me to do on the health care debate would have been to tell people that, "What you're going to get is guaranteed health insurance, lower your costs, all the insurance reforms, we're going to lower the cost of Medicare and Medicaid, and it won't cost anybody anything." That's great politics. It's just not true.

So there's got to be some test of realism in any of these proposals, mine included. I've got to hold myself accountable, and I guarantee the American people will hold themselves - will hold me accountable if what I'm selling doesn't actually deliver.

The US system of Congress does not have the absolute party discipline that the Australian Washminster or British Westminster systems do. In Australia the absolute discipline in brutal; Labor has a pledge and even in the Liberal Party conscience voting is an exception rather than the rule. During the Bush years the Republican Party honed its congressional discipline under DeLay and Hastert. Money and influence adapted to power, along with an absolutist base, and led to the closest thing America has seen to Labor's pledge.

There appears to be some hold over from that under the Obama Administration and the Republican Party is largely maintaining discipline. At least in Congressional votes. Most of Obama's speech and his replies were focused on the frustration at the Republicans for not cutting deals where both sides can gain something out of legislation and do something positive for the United States; or even provide good governance.

Personally I think the Republican Party is currently unable to govern, and has not been able to for the last decade. I don't know when sanity will return to the party, but I am still not seeing anything that would suggest it.

Update: Video of the speech and questions.

More Reading on Us politics

• US Politics
• While Australia Is Adding New Laws
• Unchecked Executive Power
• A Good Sign
• Signature Candidates
• Governance and Territoriality: Boumediene vs Bush
• Bush Administration Foreign Policy
• Hope and Cynicism
• US Presidential Campaign
• Political Performinators
• Politics of Financial Rescue