Manchin: Where can Senators convene?

Joe Manchin gets a grilling in Roll Call today for his continued Outward Bound-like calls for bipartisanship governing, whether through Dems & Republicans sitting together at speeches, or (like last year) eating together at lunch, or for having forums where legislators can talk to each other to find common ground.

Not bad ideas by the Democrat from West Virginia, but aren't there already opportunities for that, writes Neda Semnani?

Interesting idea, sir. If only there was some place for Members of both parties to gather to debate “issues” and “common ground.” We can’t even think what that might look like (cough cough: the super committee, the floors of both chambers, every committee meeting, the Longworth Cafeteria).

Manchin also urges Congress to hold a monthly bi-party caucus and invite the president to attend, because there is nothing Republicans respond to more than a chance to speak to and compromise with the president.

Poor Manchin. Maybe he’s just blocked out the entire past year? We certainly can’t blame him, but, the fact remains, 2011’s SOTU bi-party! did, um, nothing to encourage a bipartisan spirit in either chamber.