Bush Buddies Up to Kennedys

W A S H I N G T O N, Feb. 1 -- Rep. Patrick Kennedy may have called President George W. Bush a "wing nut" at one contentious point during the campaign, but the two were able to settle their differences tonight.

Despite political differences, the President, who is continuing his "charm offensive" aimed at winning over Democrats, invited members of the Kennedy clan to the White House tonight to watch the movie Thirteen Days, Hollywood's take on John F. Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis.

Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts along with his son, Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy, and his niece, Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy. Caroline Kennedy, who is JFK’s sole surviving child, and her husband, Edwin Schlossberg, also were invited.

The film features Kevin Costner as an aide to President Kennedy during the two weeks in 1962 when brinksmanship over Cuba nearly sparked a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Couldn't Resist Political Discussion

Rep. Kennedy and Bush sat next to each other for about an hour atdinner and talked about a variety of issues, including taxes,education and health care, Kennedy said.

"He said that he didn't expect us to get along on many things,but he said that we may be able to get along on some things, and Ifeel the same way," Kennedy said of the president.

"He said I'm not what people always may portray me as; I'minterested in getting things done," Kennedy said. "I challengedhim and said he has an opportunity to prove that in the future ifhe's able to make a break with the Christian right and not carrythe agenda of people like Ashcroft."

Kennedy said Bush responded that he was going to do things forthe good of the country and intends to lead by his own initiative.

"I thought that was very impressive and very real, and I wasimpressed by his genuine approach," Kennedy said.Bush Starting Out on the Right (and Left) Foot

The president's personal invitation to the nation's leading liberal to attend one of the first private social events of his administration has official Washington buzzing.