http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6C6245C2-76A1-4D7A-8137-ECF56D34264D.htm<snip>
Coming exactly one week before New Hampshire's presidential primary and the night after Iowa's caucuses, the speech has given Democratic presidential candidates an opportunity to discuss how they would take on a popular president whose campaign will highlight the economic recovery and his leadership in fighting terrorism - themes prominent in the address.
"The State of the Union may look rosy from the White House balcony or the suites of George Bush's wealthiest donors," said Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean. "But hardworking Americans will see through this president's effort to wrap his radical agenda with a compassionate ribbon."
Retired General Wesley Clark said Bush's promises were "just smoke and mirrors" to hide that he "has helped those who have most, hurt those who have least, and ignored everyone in between."
Clark also said Bush had created his own "axis of evil" two years after coining the phrase in a previous State of the Union address to describe countries that were deemed a threat to the United States.
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