It's hard to treat the State of the Union speech seriously in any year. But this year, it's practically impossible. The president's approval ratings are at record lows. Members of his party are revolting against his Iraq troop increase. Democrats control Congress, and the 2008 presidential race has already started, hastening Bush's lame-duck status. And Tuesday he got a kick in the pants from the opening of the Scooter Libby trial. George Bush has to work fast to save his presidency, and yet he did nothing in his speech to change the political dynamic.
He started strong by lauding Nancy Pelosi as the first woman speaker. To not have done so would have been rude. But he iced the cake by speaking of her father. This was reminiscent of Ronald Reagan who, in 1987, embraced the losses his party suffered in the previous midterm election by congratulating new Democratic Speaker Jim Wright (who sat in Pelosi's box tonight) and paid homage to Democratic hero Sam Rayburn. Bush also said a special word to ailing members of Congress, including Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson. He ended his annual speech well, too, with moving tributes to civilian heroes in the gallery. (I'm not including the Baby Einstein lady.) The president knows the power of a good gesture in a speech that is largely useful only for gestures.
Read More
