“I get the impression that [the Democratic Party's] view is that we haven’t cooperated enough. I think what the American people were saying yesterday is they appreciated us saying ‘no’ to things that the American people indicated that they were not in agreement with.”

To the contrary, according to a series of polls inquiring about partisan behavior post election, voters hoped for collaboration and compromise after the election,  In a Bloomberg poll, 80 percent of respondents wanted both parties to “work together even if it means compromising.” Seventy-eight percent of respondents thought Republicans in Congress should “compromise some of their positions in order to get things done” and 69 percent say the same about Obama per a CBS/NYT poll.

Doesn’t look like the GOP got the message:

In an interview with CNN’s Candy Crowley, RNC Chairman Michael Steele made clear that compromise is not on the table:

Well, I think that, to be very clear here, when we talk about not compromising, not compromising away on the principles that our party have run on and have stood for, for a long time. For example, we’re not going to compromise on creating more debt. We’re not going to compromise on raising the debt ceiling. We’re not going to compromise on increasing the burdens on the backs of small-business owners and families.

Shortly before the election, Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana also shot down any hope of compromise:

Look, the time to go along and get along is over. . .there will be no compromise on stopping runaway spending, deficits and debt. There will be no compromise on repealing Obamacare. There will be no compromise on stopping Democrats from growing government and raising taxes. And if I haven’t been clear enough yet, let me say again: No compromise.

At a Heritage Foundation talk today, McConnell reiterated his goal of making Obama a one-term President because his agenda does not fall in line with that of the in-coming Republican majority in the House.

But the fact is, if our primary legislative goals are to repeal and replace the health spending bill; to end the bailouts; cut spending; and shrink the size and scope of government, the only way to do all these things it is to put someone in the White House who won’t veto any of these things.

At least voters are more aware of the reality than they’re given credit for.  In that same CBS/NYT poll, “72 percent thought that Obama would try to work with Republicans—but only 46 percent thought that the Republicans would try to work with Obama.”

It’s going to be a rocky road to 2012.

The road ahead will be long.  Our climb will be steep.  We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.  I promise you – we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts.  There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem.  But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face.  I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.  And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change.  And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.  It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other.  Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

– President-Elect Barack Obama, November 4th, 2008