WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 — A few minutes past 7 on the morning after Election Day, Senator Trent Lott called President Bush, who pointedly asked him if he was still at home. Mr. Lott knew he was being baited. The president, an early-to-bed, early-to-rise kind of guy, loves to razz Mr. Lott, a confirmed night owl, about how hard it is to make it to crack-of-dawn meetings at the White House. Mr. Lott shot back: "No, Mr. President, I'm in my office. Let's go to work." The exchange, while jocular, hinted at what some Republicans said was below-the-surface tension between the...