In a luncheon yesterday, members of the fiscally centrist Democratic Blue Dog Coalition promised to build bipartisan consensus to establish “fiscal sanity” and attempt to improve government accountability, transparency and oversight.

“This country is desperate for the middle, desperate for common-sense solutions,” said Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.).

“We have to tear down that aisle between Republicans and Democrats,” said Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.).

Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) said Democrats only have a short time to prove they can work across the aisle to get things done.

“The message that was sent on election night was not that the American people chose Democrats to lead the country out of this mess — they fired the current Republican leadership. We have a narrow window of opportunity to prove we can do better.”

President Bush has invited members of the centrist Blue Dog and New Democrat coalitions to the White House on Friday to discuss areas “of mutual cooperation,” in the words of one Democratic aid.