(SOTU) Address Will Depict Bush as Above Politics

[kskiska]

By Mike Allen

A day after the Iowa caucuses reset the Democratic field, President Bush will ignore the campaign as he goes before Congress on Tuesday night to deliver his final State of the Union address before he faces reelection.

White House officials said they hope to use the televised speech, and its audience of more than 60 million, to foster an image of Bush as a wartime visionary who stands above the fray of politics -- the commander in chief, not a candidate.

Bush officials said they hope to extend that packaging to the early engagements of the campaign after the Democratic nominee is clear. They said Bush has no plans to hold an event declaring himself a candidate, even after his campaign begins running ads. President Bill Clinton used the same strategy in 1996.

(snip)

According to Bush advisers, this is the gist of his speech, which will have solemn passages with an overall tone of optimism:

We are a nation at war. My bold decisions have made America safer, but we are not yet safe. At home, my administration's policies have made us better and more prosperous. But I am not satisfied, and Congress must pass more of what I have proposed.

Bush strategists have long been concerned that Americans would become complacent about confronting terrorism and would question whether it is a war. But the war on terrorism is Bush's justification for deficits, for the attack on Iraq and, to some degree, for his reelection. So skepticism by voters could obviate what his advisers think is one of his paramount advantages.

(snip)

Bush spent the weekend at Camp David editing the speech with Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr., longtime confidant Karen Hughes, communications director Dan Bartlett and chief speechwriter Mike Gerson.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26247-2004Jan17.html

[Cocoa]

1. with that O'Neill book out there...

I don't think it's going to work.

Isn't the book the #1 bestseller, and doesn't it paint Bush as the MOST political president ever? :evilgrin:

[priller]

18. Yes it does

On matters of policy he was disengaged, as O'Neill states often; but when it came to politics, he was all over it.

And I read last week that WH officials admitted privately that Chimp--who famously doesn't read the papers--was devouring coverage of Iowa and New Hampshire.

This is the most nakedly political administration in history. That they want to portray themselves as above it all shows they are also the most Orwellian in history.

[Triana]

2. that'll be the day...

...when Adolf bu$h is above politics (not to mention propoganda a la Goebbels and this SOTU is just more of it)

When ice skates are the #1 selling item at the Wal-Mart in Hell, George W. Bush will be 'above' politics.

Don't hold your breath...

;)

[lovedems]

3. More prosperous? Above politics? Safer?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Maybe I will watch now. If he is going to outright lie like that, I will laugh my ass off instead of getting pissed off.

I honestly can't believe he and his advisors are so god damned stupid. Or, do they think the american public is so god damned stupid?

[Dagaz]

4. And yet all we talk about in the debates is Iraq

"Flipping the order of last year's address, Bush will build from foreign affairs to conclude on domestic matters, which polls show are a higher priority with voters."

[lovedems]

6. (aside)...Are you going to push for 1,000 tonight?

I just got mine 1000+ today. Congrats if you get it! :)

[pfitz59]

5. Better be some booing form the Dem side!

Or F**k the bastards!

[lagniappe]

10. Damn right.

I wish Tom Daschle would just once say something volatile about Bush. I would love to see Daschle call Bush a f*cking liar the day before Bush's speech. The media would eat it up.

The Democrats could learn something from Newt Gingrich - throw out a verbal fire bomb and let cards fall where the may.

Tom Delay insults Democrats every chance he gets, and the Democratic leadership (in Congress) never seems to forcefully respond.

[aquart]

7. Everytime they want us to applaud, they say Bill Clinton did it.

And look, Karen's back!

[aquart]

8. Have another photo op before a fundraiser, George.

Above the fray.

Oh, god, there are some people dumb enough to believe it.

[Skip Intro]

12. Fewer and fewer

seen the recent polls?

I don't see how he can come off looking like anything less than the slimy, petty, arrogant jerk he is.

Of course, the bushbots will drool, but that's a normal condition for those dregs. :evilgrin:

[F-5]

9. Looks like Dubya is going to lie to the American people AGAIN.

:grr: :grr: :grr: :eyes:

[Pale_Rider]

22. There will be people checking every ...

... assertion, every half-truth, and every statement.

[Pale Blue Dot]

11. Here's what I am NOT above

Fuck you, Bush. Eat shit and... lose the election.

[drscm]

13. Once again, *bush and "his decisions" are BOLD...

I'll say they're bold. In fact, they leave me breathless.

I have never seen so many media supported lies and pure arrogance.

[young_at_heart]

14. Please America, don't fall for the speechwriter's empty rhetoric!

Bush can (and does) say anything they tell him that sounds good. By now, most of us realize we're listening to a used car salesman.

[neverforget]

15. Is Bush using his Etch-A-Sketch to edit the speech?

:evilgrin:

[Dover]

16. Some like to be above, some prefer being on the bottom, but I thought

Bush claimed to like being the UNDER dog or coming from behind. At any rate, I think most politicians will tell you he's impotent regardless (or because) of the efforts of Karen Hughes to arouse his interest. :P

[Guaranteed]

17. LOL "But I am not satisfied, and Congress must pass more of what I have...

proposed."

Oh. Bush is displeased! We must gratify our leader, the godly George W.!

[grasswire]

19. hmm

This sounds very.....napoleonic! MY bold decisions. Must pass more of MY MY MY I I I ME ME ME.

I don't think it's going to sit well.

[Pax Argent]

20. Bush can continue to appear serene and above it all

He's got all of his trained media attack dogs and chattering talk radio heads to spread whatever negativity he chooses to put out as talking points or to extol his wondrous virtues. All he has to do is try to stumble through the positive parts and try to look presidential.

The Dem candidates have got to balance the negative versus positive messages on the fly and still sound like they have it together. After passing through the funhouse mirrors of the press, no wonder they all seem so confused and mis-directed. I've given up trying to place any credence on any slams against any of the candidates at this point by the media.


As it is I will try to avoid this speach like the plague it is. Bush sucks.

[arikara]

21. How do they plan to explain all the frantic fundraising that * does?

I suppose they think they can solve that by simply coming up with some catchy terminology for it along the lines of "compassionate conservatism".

[indepat]

23. Hypocrisy to heretofore heights?

[daleo]

24. A rather important item

"Bush spent the weekend at Camp David editing the speech with Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr., longtime confidant Karen Hughes, communications director Dan Bartlett and chief speechwriter Mike Gerson."

So, when the inevitable lies become obvious in a few months, remember this and point it out often.

[MidwestMomma]

25. Maybe we should take turns reporting on the speech

So we don't have to watch the whole thing. If you're going to watch, just make sure you eat a light dinner or you might :puke:

Or how about a drinking game...everytime he says the word 'terror', take a drink. Anymore suggestions?

[Th1onein]

26. Above politics?

This is from a man who has not attended one soldier's funeral? This is from a man who can't visit MLK's grave without being "on the way" to yet another fundraiser.

I think I'm going to be sick. How stupid does he think the American people are?

[demgrrrll]

27. This is his last state of the Union address isn't it? n/t.

.

[0007]

28. Plenty!