WASHINGTON | It&#8217;s just a few minutes after the House Financial Services Committee has adjourned for the day.</p><p>U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a member of that committee, is sitting in the House cafeteria, working on a plate of his favorite stir fry and breathing in the new political atmosphere in Washington.</p><p>If you spend some time with Cleaver these days, you will instantly detect a more positive attitude. On Nov. 4, Cleaver was re-elected to his third term, with 65 percent of the vote. Last week, while here with the Trotter Group, made up of black columnists from across the nation, I spent a couple of hours with Cleaver on Capitol Hill.</p><p>As he ate his lunch, he was approached by a gaggle of House pages in full uniform who asked him in unison how he was doing.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve been happy since last Tuesday,&#8221; Cleaver said of the election of Sen. Barack Obama as president. &#8220;You know what I&#8217;m talking about &#8212; talk to me now.&#8221;</p><p>The election has put Cleaver in a jovial mood and given him a fresh perspective on his job. As he and I walked toward the House of Representatives, Cleaver told me that in just a week or so, the partisan political cloud over Washington had started to dissipate.</p><p>&#8220;We have been successful in thawing the atmosphere,&#8221; Cleaver said. &#8220;But as I told some of my colleagues, I&#8217;m going to end up being the tough pastor. The most dangerous thing for Democrats right now is to come into the new era with control of the House, the Senate and the White House and then allow our arrogance to end up causing us to be dethroned. So I&#8217;m going to be preaching to my Democratic colleagues, the dangers of overreaching.&#8221;</p><p>Once we arrived on the floor of the House, Cleaver checked on the House pages, a daily ritual with him. In addition to his role on the House Financial Services Committee, Cleaver has become the unofficial advocate for the pages.</p><p>If they have a problem of any kind, they are to see him. He teases them. He encourages them. But most of all, he cares for them. The pages have been the targets of several scandals, the most notable involving former Rep. Mark Foley, who was sending lurid messages to underage pages before his resignation two years ago.</p><p>Cleaver hopes to steer the pages away from any pitfalls and scandals.</p><p>&#8220;Did you get your birthday card from us?&#8221; one of the pages asked Cleaver about the card all the House pages had signed for him.</p><p>&#8220;Yes, it was very nice,&#8221; Cleaver responded. &#8220;How did you get one so big?&#8221;</p><p>Moving on to another jest, Cleaver asked the group: &#8220;Is it true that you all elected a Republican as the president of the House pages? You all must do something about that,&#8221; a joke that brought on intense laughter.</p><p>&#8220;They love Congressman Cleaver,&#8221; said a supervisor overseeing the pages. &#8220;They simply love him. He often brings them pizza and doughnuts. He speaks to every one of them.&#8221;</p><p>Cleaver said it&#8217;s a role he doesn&#8217;t mind filling. He has a daughter. And if she had been a page in Washington, he would have wanted someone to watch after her, too.</p><p>&#8220;Many of my colleagues already call me the moral compass of the House,&#8221; Cleaver said. &#8220;Now I&#8217;m going to assume the role with intentionality. Somebody must be the conscience of group. We have a historic moment, and if we waste our spot in history, we will be tarnished more so than any other Congress, because we have this enormous good will that&#8217;s out there.&#8221;</p><p>It sometimes takes several terms in the House before members find their niche. Cleaver is starting to find his.</p><p>He&#8217;s always had a knack for bringing people together. Now he&#8217;s putting those same skills to good use by working closely with Rep. Barney Frank and the other members of the Financial Services Committee, by reining in unruly and uncivil House members, and by reaching out to House pages who need a father figure.