Last night, President Bush attempted to shift attention from his failing strategy in Iraq. He couldn't do it. The Washington Post notes that "his address lacked the rhetorical lift of some of his best efforts of the past, and the domestic policy agenda, although lengthy, included initiatives that have been around for some time. In that sense, the speech was a reminder of how much the war in Iraq has drained the administration's energy and creativity, and how much it continues to define the Bush presidency." Bush stressed that "with so much in the balance, those of us in public office have a duty to speak with candor." But Bush frequently glossed over "harsh global and political realities" in an effort to paint an optimistic picture of the State of the Union. Check out our comprehensive reality check on ThinkProgress.org.
THE REVIEWS ARE IN: "Encumbered by some of the lowest approval ratings of his presidency," President Bush delivered a speech that has been characterized as "generic," "small-bore," and without ambition. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll revealed that Bush's address last night received the lowest positive reaction of any State of the Union speech delivered during his tenure. News analyses have noted that Bush "displayed little ambition to tackle some of America's greatest challenges at home or abroad." In comparison to Bush's previous State of the Union addresses, last night's speech was "far less ambitious, his tone noticeably different." In style, the speech was "lackluster, ordinary and, most of all, generic." Bush repeated "arguments he regularly makes in national security speeches while running through a succession of economic proposals with little evident passion." "No sweeping proposals," according to Reuters. The New York Times adds, "[T]he speech was notable largely for a lack of big new proposals from a president who for five years has not shied from provocative and politically risky initiatives." "The solutions Bush offered were relatively small-bore and wrapped in familiar language," writes the Associated Press. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) captured the sentiments of many: "we didn't hear anything new, and we didn't get any real answers."
BUSH ADDICTED TO ENERGY INDEPENDENCE RHETORIC: President Bush last night called for America to drastically reduce its dependence on foreign oil -- just as he's done in every other past State of the Union address -- despite the fact that our dependence on foreign oil has increased every year. Bush departed from his past failed policies of drilling our nation's remaining oil and gas supplies, cajoling Saudi Arabia and the other "allies" upon whom we depend for oil, and increasing subsidies to the fossil fuels industry. Despite seeking cuts in both alternative energy and biofuels programs in the FY06 budget, Bush last night proposed a 22 percent increase in financing for various clean energy research projects. Yet even those funding boosts represent "incremental adjustments" compared to the subsidies dished out in the energy bill Bush signed last year, "including $2 billion in tax breaks for oil and gas drillers over five years." Also missing from Bush's speech was any mention of "requiring higher fuel economy standards for consumer vehicles," which analysts say "would have the greatest impact on reducing U.S. oil demand and cutting imports." All in all, the New York Times noted, last night's rhetoric "was hardly the bold signal we've been waiting for through years of global warming and deadly struggles in the Middle East, where everything takes place in the context of what Mr. Bush rightly called our 'addiction' to imported oil." For a comprehensive progressive roadmap to energy independence, check out American Progress's plan: "Resources for Global Growth."
MEDIA HEAD-FAKE ON HEALTH CARE: The White House can claim at least one success from this year's State of the Union: falsely convincing the media that President Bush would take America's health care crisis seriously. "Health Care Is Now at Top of Bush's Agenda," a New York Times headline proclaimed prior to the speech, while the Associated Press reported that Bush would "attempt to shift focus from the polarizing war in Iraq to a more popular domestic priority: taming health care costs." "Health care will be the centerpiece of the White House's domestic agenda for 2006," reported the Weekly Standard. "In Tuesday's State of the Union, the president will focus on rising health costs, with more detailed policy announcements to follow in the weeks ahead." In fact, just 170 words of Bush's 5,400 word speech were devoted to the topic, reflecting the true priority Bush has placed on health care during his time in office.
WHAT WASN'T IN THE SPEECH: "The speech was notable for what Mr. Bush did not mention. He offered no new ideas for rebuilding New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, made no mention of his troubled Medicare prescription drug program and offered no proposal to clamp down on lobbying abuses in Congress that have led to the investigation of Jack Abramoff, a formerly powerful lobbyist and a major fund-raiser for Mr. Bush." For any listener last night holding out hope that Bush would address these key issues, the speech was "a grave disappointment." Bush's own previous bad decisions have limited the scope of what he can achieve; he is in essence "hampered by his own track record." "The president's future horizons are constrained by his past choices, budgetary and political. At home, expensive tax cuts and a Medicare prescription drug entitlement limit his scope for new initiatives. Abroad, the commitment of troops, money and diplomatic capital to Iraq has narrowed the president's options." |
