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Pre-SOTU Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 10:10:14 AM EST
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President Bush will give his State of the Union Address tonight. His approval rating hovers at 39%, no change from last month, according to the latest WSJ-NBC poll. The two most important issues to voters are health care and getting out of Iraq.

If you're not by a tv, the State Department will have live audio feeds of the State of the Union address on its Web site in English, Arabic, Farsi, Bahasa Indonesian, Spanish, French and Russian.

That won't help me since I'll be on an airplane, but I'm sure I'll catch the re-run.

[Graphic created exclusively for TalkLeft by CL.]

More from the WSJ-NBC poll which you can view here (pdf):

Mr. Bush's overall job-approval rating remains at 39%, down from 50% immediately following his 2004 re-election. The proportion of Americans who credit the president with being "honest and straightforward" has fallen to 38% from 50% in January 2005; the proportion that gives him high marks for "strong leadership qualities" is 42%, down from 52%.

The results show Mr. Bush "is off track," says Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducts the Journal/NBC survey with Republican counterpart Bill McInturff. Mr. Hart adds that it raises a question about Mr. Bush's nationally televised speech tonight: "How much of an olive branch will we see" the president extend to his critics?

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    • Pre-SOTU Open Thread | 24 comments (24 topical)
    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#1)
    by glanton on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 10:14:17 AM EST
    I'd rather floss with cardboard than watch this man yet again take what is worst about America and trumpet it as the best.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 10:18:26 AM EST
    He's going to be sure to talk about WMDs and Freedom. In other words, he wants to invade somebody.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#3)
    by Dadler on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 10:22:56 AM EST
    Rest in peace, Coretta Scott King. A grateful nation mourns your passing. I hope her spirit, and that of her husband, fill the mind and heart of Samuel Alito. There have been profound changes in jurists upon ascending to the High Court. I can only hope Alito is one of them.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#4)
    by Dadler on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 10:28:04 AM EST
    As for the SOTU, I won't be able to watch a second of it. When you know you won't hear anything of merit, tuning in is a waste of time. I'll read tomorrow. Maybe. I hate that I loathe the President. I'd much rather have a "leader" I respect and dig and can't wait to hear a speech from. Wishful thinking, I know.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#5)
    by desertswine on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 10:29:10 AM EST
    President Bush will give his State of the Union Address tonight.
    I can't watch this guy anymore. It's gonna be movie nite at my house.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#6)
    by kdog on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 10:29:17 AM EST
    I'd watch if I thought he had something to say..but I predict the same tired bs and propaganda. I'm not gonna ruin my evening listening to that a'hole. I'm gonna put on a Wailer's record and listen to intelligent men speak.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#7)
    by Edger on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 10:36:23 AM EST
    Dadler: Wishful thinking, I know. You're not alone.
    Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans -- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.
    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#9)
    by Che's Lounge on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 11:16:23 AM EST
    Bang a gong! Already saw the speech at youtube.com Brilliant

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#10)
    by Edger on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 11:16:36 AM EST
    Good one, wg :^)

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#11)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 11:17:40 AM EST
    edger - You just posted in the Alito thread something about people get the government they deserve. And then you quote Kennedy. I note you don't mention Kennedy's Bay of Pigs fisaco, which led to the Cuban Missile Crisis, which led to Kennedy deciding he had to toughen up his image which led to him sending "advisors" to Vietnam. The rest, as they say, is history.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#12)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 11:21:44 AM EST
    I hate that I loathe the President. I'd much rather have a "leader" I respect and dig and can't wait to hear a speech from.
    I can certainly relate Dadler, my skin literally crawled when I listened to/watched Slick Willy for 8 years. Still does, actually. Ah well, such is life.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#13)
    by Edger on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 11:22:51 AM EST
    Jim, I guess the context of my quoting Kennedy went right past you...

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#14)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 11:43:55 AM EST
    edger - Not at all, I was just reminding you be careful for what you wish for. Many of us did, and the results were not as expected.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#15)
    by squeaky on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 11:44:25 AM EST
    Juan Cole has a list of ten things we will not hear tonight. And here is a funny parody (video) of what we will hear tonight.link

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#16)
    by Dadler on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 11:47:29 AM EST
    Sarc, Though Clinton was the most disappointing president of my lifetime, I'd much prefer him to Bush, if only for the fact that Clinton pulled himself out of dirt poverty and dysfunction to become a Rhodes Scholar and then POTUS. He was, at the lest, much better at communicating positively to the rest of the world, in a much more informed manner. So, while Clinton was the biggest disappointment, Bush is the biggest incompetent.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#17)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 12:01:57 PM EST
    Fair enough Dadler, I didn't bring him up to start a "who's worse" discussion, just to express that I know your pain.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 12:11:24 PM EST
    Time-stamped for posterity, I predict the speech will include the following or very close equivalents: "we need comprehensive reform of our broken immigration system" "good-hearted people doing jobs Americans won't do" "match willing workers with willing employers"

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#19)
    by John Mann on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 12:50:32 PM EST
    There was an interesting documentary on PBS last night about the Nuremburg War Crimes trials, with particular emphasis on Mr. Goering's career and subsequent end. He was charged with "crimes against peace" because evidence showed that he had, along with Adolf Hitler, signed the order to attack Poland. This was considered, of course, an act of "aggressive warfare", and therefore illegal by international standards. Mr. Goering was found guilty and sentenced to death, but killed himself before the sentence could be carried out. Apparently the standards have changed, because Mr. Bush and his gang are still walking around scot-free in spite of aggressively attacking Iraq. Surely we can expect to see Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, Mr. Rumsfeld, Ms. Rice and their culpable subordinates in the prisoner's box in the very near future. Can't we?

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#20)
    by Sailor on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 02:34:04 PM EST
    I consider it the STFU address. "9/11, 9/11, ever'things different now, bow down to me, bow down to giblets NOOOOOoooow!" bush, the terrerists' best friend, and vice versa. BTW, Kennedy inherited the cuba invasion from ike. During transition he was never told of it by the cia. After taking office he was presented with a 'fait accompli', and decided fate wasn't accomplished by killing American soldiers for mafia/corporate greed.
    This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address fall on the same day. As Air America Radio pointed out, "It is an ironic juxtaposition: one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, and the other involves a groundhog."
    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#21)
    by jondee on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 03:23:15 PM EST
    Im gonna get a bottle of Jamesons and take a shot every time Bush uses the words freedom, freedoms, terror, and terrorists - if you never hear from me again you'll know why.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 03:26:28 PM EST
    Bush's Carter Moment
    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#23)
    by jondee on Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 03:59:22 PM EST
    Bush's career is nothing if not a living testament to the fact that he and his cohorts dont give a flying rats a** whether we're "addicted to oil" or not - its a sure sign of desperation that he's resorting to this kind of blatantly hypocritical rhetoric. Approval rating holding at 39 to 41% - yeah theres no divide on your side of aisle ras.

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#24)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Feb 01, 2006 at 06:03:21 AM EST
    sailor - Kennedy was briefed about all security aspects during the election, as was Nixon, so he knew about it long before. And all he had to do was say "no." Or, better yet, say "yes." His dithering had very bad long term effects... BTW - From your quote:
    This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address fall on the same day. As Air America Radio pointed out..
    Huh? Maybe Air America should have pointed out that Groundhog Day comes tomorrow, February 2... the SOTU was last night... 1/31... Oh well, that is probably the funniest thing on the network in months...

    Re: Pre-SOTU Open Thread (none / 0) (#25)
    by jondee on Wed Feb 01, 2006 at 03:06:01 PM EST
    plus the fact that they continually besmirch the name of that pure,white, flower of American womanhood Natalee Holloway. Eh jim?

    Pre-SOTU Open Thread | 24 comments (24 topical)