It took place against a backdrop of partisan tensions that were evident despite today's formal and polite remarks.

Whether Congress can accomplish much of anything this year will depend on how quickly partisan tensions build.

In part, lawmakers said, the narrow balance of power and the way it came about heightened partisan tensions, not conciliation.

But the entire day was charged with a partisan tension that, in our view, had some healthy aspects.

And, he said in the recent interview, partisan tensions should cool down with the presidential campaign out of the way.

Despite the partisan tension, there are points of agreement on issues of great concern to the public.

And the line was not bereft of partisan tension.

His diplomacy defused the partisan tensions that were building in Rome before the conclave of 1484.

The paper describes the atmosphere around the scandal as "escalating partisan tension."

Top Democrats admit privately that there is merit to those complaints, and have begun negotiations to try to cool the partisan tensions.