Blue ties 'symbolic' as Bush, Democratic leaders meet

Story Highlights

• NEW: President Bush, top Democrats promise cooperation after meeting
• Sen. George Allen's concession speech makes Senate power shift final
• Bush says he is open to suggestions on Iraq policy

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Now facing Democratic control of both chambers of Congress during the last two years of his presidency, President Bush on Friday continued to move toward building a working relationship with Democratic congressional leaders.

Bush met in the Oval Office with Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, who is expected to be the Senate majority leader when a new Congress convenes in January, and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, expected to become assistant majority leader.

"I assured the senators that we will cooperate as closely as we can to solve common problems," Bush said after the meeting.

The president also congratulated the senators on their election victory and said, "I know they were proud of their team's efforts. And they ran good campaigns and they talked about issues that people care about, and they won."

The new dynamic of checks and balances between Congress and the executive branch provide "a great opportunity for us to show the country that Republicans and Democrats are equally as patriotic and equally concerned about the future, and that we can work together," Bush said.

Reid concurred, saying, "Election's over. The only way to move forward is with bipartisanship and openness and to get some results. And we've made a commitment -- the four of us here today -- that that's what we're going to do."

Durbin added that Iraq was high on the trio's minds on the eve of Veterans Day, but he did not mention any specifics that were discussed. The Senate minority whip also said it's important that Congress and the White House find common ground.

Durbin ended the news conference by thanking Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for the "conciliatory gesture" of wearing blue ties to the meeting. Blue is the color assigned to states that vote Democrat.

"From our side, we think that is a symbolic indication, and we're off to a good start," Durbin said.

"I was hoping you would notice, senator," Bush replied with a chuckle.

The meeting came a day after the incumbent Republican Sen. George Allen conceded the Virginia race to his Democratic challenger, Jim Webb. (Full story)

Webb's win over Allen gives Democrats a 51-49 advantage in the Senate, counting two independents who have said they will caucus with the party.

When announcing his defeat in Alexandria, Virginia, Allen told his supporters Thursday, "The Bible teaches us there is a time and place for everything, and today I called and congratulated Jim Webb."

Word of Webb's win led Democrats to celebrate outside the Capitol, as Reid told a Capitol Hill crowd that the Democrats' win in the House and Senate showed it is "time for a change." (View a profile of incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid)

"It's time for bipartisanship. It's time for open government, transparency, and it's a time for results," he said.

Added Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, "Will we stand up to the president when we think he is wrong? Yes. But our real mission is to work together and help the American family and make a better America, and we pledge today that we will never lose sight of that, our true mission."

Promises of bipartisanship

Friday's meeting with top Senate Democrats also comes a day after Bush lunched with the two top House Democrats, emerging with a promise that Democrats and the White House would work in tandem over the next two years.

On Election Day, the Democrats won a majority of House seats, wresting control of the chamber for the first time since the 1994 midterm elections.

"We won't agree on every issue," Bush said after dining with House speaker-to-be Rep. Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer. "But we do agree that we love America equally, that we're concerned about the future of this country, and that we will do our very best to address big problems." (Watch what "big problems" the president addressed after lunching with Pelosi -- 1:29 )

Pelosi agreed, saying she looks forward to "working in a confidence-building way with the president."

"We've made history. Now we have to make progress," she said.

Hoyer added that it's clear Americans hope "that we will work together -- we being Republicans and Democrats, the president and the Congress -- to solve the problems and make their lives better, more secure and our country more safe."

Before the lunch, Bush told reporters Thursday that he respected the results of this week's elections that propelled Democrats to power and said he was "open to any idea or suggestion" that will help the United States achieve its goals in Iraq.

"Whatever party we come from we all have a responsibility to ensure that these troops have the resources and support they need to prevail," he said.

Bush said he was eager to discuss with Democrats "the way forward for our country" and has instructed his Cabinet to provide the new congressional leaders with any information they need to do their jobs.

Pelosi, who would be the first female House speaker, told CNN: "Democrats are ready to lead, prepared to govern and absolutely willing to work in a bipartisan way." (Watch Pelosi talk of breaking the 'marble ceiling' -- 12:45 )

She has previously said a Democratic-led Congress will not be a rubber stamp for the White House. On Wednesday, she said she hoped there would be cooperation with congressional investigations -- part of the checks-and-balances system built into the Constitution.

Pelosi also has said that in the first 100 hours of her speakership she will push for action implementing all 9/11 Commission recommendations on national security, raising the minimum wage to $7.25, eliminating corporate subsidies for oil companies, allowing the government to negotiate Medicare drug prices, imposing new restrictions on lobbyists, cutting interest rates on college loans and supporting embryonic stem cell research.

CNN's John King, Dana Bash and Ed Henry contributed to this report.