Bush plugs faith-based idea by helping build home

From John King and Major Garrett
CNN Washington Bureau

TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- President Bush donned jeans and wielded a hammer Tuesday as he pitched in to build a house at a Habitat for Humanity site in Tampa, where he sought to drive home his message of government support for faith-based organizations.

"Our government should not fear working side by side with faith-based organizations," Bush said, after testing his carpentry skills at the house. "Quite the opposite. We ought to fund faith-based organizations, so that they can do their duty and love and compassion."

Construction of another sort was under way in Washington as Democrats and Republicans returned to a Senate turned upside down with the recent departure of Sen. James Jeffords from the GOP. The lawmaker's decision to become an Independent gave Democrats control of the Senate, which they will formally claim Wednesday.

Tuesday was a day for closed-door meetings as lawmakers discussed how to handle the power shift in the newly configured Senate. The breakdown will be 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans and Jeffords, who as an independent said he would support Democrats for leadership positions.

Bush is scheduled to return to Washington Tuesday. Aides said he would reach out to senators on both sides of the aisle -- including Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, his former presidential primary rival and a maverick within his own party.

White House press secretary Ari Fleischer told CNN that Bush and his wife Laura will have dinner with McCain and his wife Cindy at the White House on Tuesday night. McCain's weekend meeting with soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota, stirred even more anxiety in GOP ranks about another party defection.

McCain has said he does not intend to leave the party to become an independent.

Daschle will dine with the president Thursday at the White House.

Earlier in the day Thursday Bush plans to meet with Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-Rhode Island, who was sharply critical of the president's tax-cut plan. He is among several Republican moderates who have complained of being shut out or kept at a distance by the Bush White House.

The scheduling guarantees an intriguing Thursday, when Bush is also scheduled to sign into law the 11-year, $1.35 trillion tax cut plan. Daschle and Chafee are among its most vocal critics.