BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We can expect some political heat in Washington next week. The Senate will go to the Democrats officially, and the White House tonight is developing a new strategy to deal with it. Earlier, I asked CNN's Major Garrett at the White House to explain what that strategy will be.</s>MAJOR GARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In a nutshell, Bill, it's trying to deal with two problems the White House sees in the aftermath of the Jeffords defection: one, a perception across the country that President Bush can't work with moderates. They're going to try to create events and speeches where the president can show outreach to moderate Republicans and also Democrats. Two, the numbers game in the Senate: It's against the Republicans now, it's against this president. He's going to try to forge ahead with his education bill, put another victory up on the board to prove to the country that he can deal in a bipartisan way on issues they care about.</s>HEMMER: At the time of the defection last week, many people were quick to criticize the White House and saying, you were not aware, you were not listening to the demands of Senator Jeffords. Is that part again of this strategy, to make sure the moderates in the party are kept in contact with?</s>GARRETT: Bill, the White House was blindsided, and in their defense, they say, look, we were working two huge pieces of legislation, a major tax cut and an education bill at the same time, we were bit a distracted. They're not distracted as much now. They're going to have some concrete ways to reach out to moderate Republicans, but they insist they will not kowtow. They'll reach out, keep in touch, keep their antennae a little bit more sensitized to their needs, but also not try to bend -- to go on bended knee to try to show them they're willing to give them everything just to keep them in the party.</s>HEMMER: Major Garrett from the White House earlier tonight.
White House Preparing for Senate Power Shift