We have no choice but to try to override his veto. The Senate already has the votes to do it, so it is now up to the holdouts in the House to decide whether to vote their conscience or join the president in putting ideology above kids.

This is the same Republican president, remember, who constantly cavils and complains about Congress' failure to act in the spirit of his own personal version of "bipartisanship" — which, as with most other things, means something completely different to him than it does to everyone else in Washington except for his small circle of sycophants.

But he vetoed a bill that is a prime example of bipartisan, bicameral legislation that's favored by a broad majority of Americans of all political persuasions — because it means, to him, nothing more than an "irresponsible" move by the "Democrat party" that is "putting health coverage for poor children at risk so they can score political points in Washington."

No wonder Senator Harry Reid had this to say about Mr. Bush's S-CHIP veto this morning:

Never has it been clearer how detached President Bush is from the priorities of the American people. Bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress and the governors of nearly every state, health care providers and patient advocates, rural and urban Americans, and citizens of all ages are united in strong support of our nation’s children. With today’s veto, President Bush has turned his back on America’s children and he stands alone.

This is the same Republican president who, along with the rest of his Roadblock Republican cronies in Congress, has consistently blocked any legislation put forward by Democrats in the sixth years he's been in office.

This is the same Republican president who has repeatedly used signing statements of dubious legality to avoid adhering to any legislation that he personally disagrees with.

This is the same Republican president who has single-handedly done more to dismantle our system of legislative checks and balances than any other president in American history.

No wonder, then, that Senator John Kerry had this to say about Mr. Bush's S-CHIP veto this morning:

Today with a single stroke of his veto pen, President Bush single-handedly jeopardized health care for millions of poor children.

The President’s twisted rationale that he opposes ‘federalizing’ health care is a hollow excuse for undermining a successful effort to give Governors the control and the tools to deliver health care for kids who desperately need it.

President Bush conveniently forgot that he ran for reelection with a promise to give health care to millions more children and now as a lame duck president he is working to take it away.

It seems George Bush was for kids’ health care before he was against it.

An overwhelming majority in Congress will fight to keep our promises to America’s children, and we will work to override this cynical, callous veto.