WASHINGTON -- House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt said this is no time for finger-pointing. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle proclaimed "there's a lot of common ground."

From the House to the Senate on Tuesday, Democrats loudly praised President Bush for his leadership prosecuting the war on terrorism and quietly criticized his domestic program.

"As Americans, we need to put partisanship aside and work together to solve the problems that face us," Gephardt said during the official Democratic response to Bush's State of the Union address.

The Democratic criticism, however, was carefully modulated so as not to offend voters who are giving the president approval ratings in the area of 80 percent.

On domestic matters, Gephardt, Daschle and others say Bush has neglected to do right by the economy, shirked important health-care issues and left worker pensions vulnerable.

With the administration set to release the new fiscal budget in February, even more differences between Democrats and the president will emerge in the coming days.

Ross Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University, cautioned that the Democrats must be careful not to appear indiscriminately hostile.

"They have to play it down," Baker said. But at the same time, he said, they cannot become voiceless in the face of Bush's popularity.

"They've got to be the people who say there are dark corners in this sunlit room," he said. "They can point to unemployment, point to a rise in homelessness."

Indeed, Daschle used the velvet-glove approach Tuesday as he praised Bush in one breath and criticized him in the next.

"There's a mutual agenda here upon which I believe we can work, and I'm hopeful that we can get a lot done in a bipartisan manner," the South Dakota senator said.

Nevertheless, Daschle disapproved of the president's proposal to provide poor seniors with a prescription drug benefit.

"I don't think it's an idea that goes nearly far enough," he said. "As you know, it only includes Medicare recipients whose income is below $13,000. Now that falls short of the universal approach that all Democrats and I think some Republicans support."

Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas) described the Democrats' two-pronged strategy of war-related praise and domestic head-shaking as disingenuous.

"Obviously, they're reading a lot of polls, and that's the way the polls tell them to do it," Gramm said.

Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) said those atmospherics will make it harder for Congress to pass legislation.

"Bush's challenge this year is to try to develop as much consensus and unity as possible on a domestic agenda," he said. "That's going to be difficult because the Democrats aren't going to help him on that."

It was only four months ago that Bush addressed a joint session of Congress to report on the terrorist attacks and the nation's initial response. Back then, the president received non-stop ovations from Democrats and Republicans alike. When he finished, Bush walked into the well of the House and embraced Daschle.

Those feelings of cordiality have waned considerably as Congress has argued over the best path to shore up the sagging economy.

"The reality is that every single opportunity he's had to help working people and retired people, he's chosen instead to help the wealthiest individuals and corporations," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.).

Schakowsky and other Democrats, such as Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), have proposed delaying plans to lower marginal income tax rates for the wealthiest Americans in order to meet other needs.

"He's willing to go into deficit spending, dip into Social Security and Medicare, and ask seniors to sacrifice while tax cuts to the wealthiest kick in," she said.

Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) said he would go back to the negotiating table if it would help Democrats and Republicans find a compromise that will spur the economy.

"I'm willing to take another crack at it," he said, calling for Bush to strike a deal directly with congressional Democrats, just as President Clinton used to do with Republicans by working out matters with then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Similarly, Gephardt said Democrats and Republicans need not be combative when it comes to restoring the economy.

"I refuse to accept that while we stand shoulder to shoulder on the war, we should stand toe to toe on the economy," Gephardt said. "We need to find a way to respect each other and trust each other and work together to solve the long-term challenges America faces."