State of the Union Address LIVE THREAD 9:01pm EST.

White House .gov ^

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

President Bush will deliver the annual State of the Union this evening at 9:01pm (Eastern Time). The speech will be webcast live on the White House web site. The President will discuss the extraordinary challenges our country has faced and the historic achievements we have made. Yet he will also stress that there.s much more for our country to do: "America this evening is a Nation called to great responsibilities. And we are rising to meet them…" "We have not come all this way – through tragedy, and trial, and war – only to falter and leave our work unfinished. Americans are rising to the tasks of history, and they expect the same of us." He will also remind the American people that we are a Nation still at war, and our government is meeting its responsibility to protect the American people: "Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passed since September 11, 2001 – over two years without an attack on American soil – and it is tempting to believe that the danger is behind us. That hope is understandable, comforting – and false." "...America is on the offensive against the terrorists..." "As part of the offensive against terror, we are also confronting the regimes that harbor and support terrorists, and could supply them with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons…" "...Because of American leadership and resolve, the world is changing for the better…" He will discuss the progress we’re making in Afghanistan and Iraq, and renew our commitment to ensuring those countries are free and peaceful: "The men and women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free, and proud, and fighting terror…" "The work of building a new Iraq is hard, and it is right. And America has always been willing to do what it takes for what is right." On priorities here at home, the President will discuss why he’s optimistic about our growing economy, and call on Congress to take action that will help turn our economic recovery into a lasting recovery. He will call on them to help train Americans for the jobs of the 21st Century: "America’s growing economy is also a changing economy. As technology transforms the way almost every job is done, America becomes more productive, and workers need new skills… We must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy." President Bush will also discuss the importance of health care and the major cause for why Americans lack health insurance: the rising costs of health care. "On the critical issue of health care, our goal is to ensure that Americans can choose and afford private health care coverage that best fits their individual needs. To make insurance more affordable, Congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs." Finally, the President will argue that in a time of great change in our country and world, the things that make our country strong should never change: "We are living in a time of great change… Yet some things endure – courage and compassion, reverence and integrity, respect for differences of faith and race. The values we try to live by never change. And they are instilled in us by fundamental institutions, such as families, and schools, and religious congregations. These institutions – the unseen pillars of civilization – must remain strong in America…" "All of us – parents, schools, government – must work together to counter the negative influence of the culture, and to send the right messages to our children."

"The President shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." Article II, Sec. 3, U.S. Constitution • History • State of the Union History Quiz • State of the Union - 2003 • State of the Union - 2002 Q1. What President delivered the first State of the Union Address?  George Washington  John Adams  Thomas Jefferson  James Madison  Franco Harris

January 20, 2004
Communications Director Dan Bartlett discussed this year's State of the Union.

January 19, 2004
Author/Historian Richard Norton Smith discussed the history of the State of the Union address.

[clamper1797]

About a year ago I posted a whole story about how I trained a guy from Bejing to help me in my duties as an engineer. I went on to relate that he and I had become friends and how he had related the story of he being one of the protestors at Tieneman (sp?) square and that he knew the guy who stood in front of the tank. I also related how I shook his hand and told him how proud I was of him. We also talked about the lay offs that were happening around us. He related that he was very concerned because he was an H1B and didn't want to get laid off because he said that would have to return to China. I was laid off by the company Feb 2002. Since I was friends with him I called to ask how things were going. He informed me that he had taken over my duties and actually asked me how to do a couple of things. That sounds like I trained my replacement to me. Well ol tex ... from out of the blue .. says that I made up the whole story ... so that was what the whole battle was about.

[dennisw]

Since you are a veteran you should perfectly understand what I was getting at.

[Carolinamom]

Pelosi's eye brows are...er, distinctive(ly strange).

[dennisw]

It means Pawnee.

[ArneFufkin]

FR is an inspired, limitless resource.

It's just way underused.

Instead of bitching, we could be "scheming" LOL!

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

I know that.....sorry if you misunderstood me.

I was simply posting from your spot, not responding to you.

I am on your side and offer my assistance at any time you feel the need..Besides that, I like your posts and have for several years....

[Miss Marple]

My day:

Yesterday my 24-year old daughter, due to be married February 28, called me and told me she had been vomiting since Sunday night. I gave her some medical advice and later in the morning took her some crackers, Sprite, Gatorade, and jello with bananas.

I called her in the afternoon yesterday and she still felt bad. In the early evening, she called me and asked if she could come home.

My husband and I drove to the other side of town,I went up to her apartment, and she was STILL vomiting.

I wrapped her in blankets, grabbed her keys and cell phone, and brought her home.

She slept in her old room, woke me at 3AM vomiting AGAIN!

I called her doctor at 9AM because her fever was 102 and her face was beet red, like a sunburn.

Took her to the doctor at 10:15. He told me she was dehydrated, blood pressure was dropping, and heart rate was elevated. Told me to take her to the hospital.

Picked up her fiancee on the way, went to ER, they put her on IV fluids. She took 2 2-liter bags of fluid, plus 1 liter of potassium carbonate, because bloodwork showed her potassium level was low. Her heart rate was 138, BP was 90/58!

Diagnosed with a GI virus, a respiratory virus, AND a urinary tract infection.

After being at the ER all day while all the fluids were dripped, they decided she should be admitted overnight.

Hubby showed up to harrass the nurses while I went home to change clothes and get some things for her. Fiancee went home to get a few things and come back to stay with her.

Fiancee is staying with her tonight in the sleeper chair in her room (thanks to him, since I have been up since 3AM) and the nurse said she was improving.

This comes on the heals of 2 weeks of taking my ailing dog outside every 3 hours and ending with having to have the dog put to sleep.

SO I am not very sympathetic to any Bush-bashers here. I am not taking any crap tonight before I go to bed!!

[CholeraJoe]

I went to work in the fields in Alabama when I was 15. Thankfully, I didn't have to raise a family then but that was my discretion.

I believe that not serving in the military detracts from your citizenship qualilfication.

Bill Clinton was the only able-bodied President since Hoover who did not serve in the US military.

Roosevelt- Not able bodied
Truman US Army WWI
Eisenhower US ARMY WWII
Kennedy US Navy WWII
Johnson US Navy WWII
Nixon US Navy
Ford US Navy
Carter US Navy,(shudder)
Bush I US Navy WWII
Bush II USAFR

I shudder at all of the Navy nerds. We don't need another Navy nerd like Kerry. Military service does not necessarily qualify one to be President - ergo Clark.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I glanced through the transcript of the speech, and it takes swipes at every Democrat seeking the Presidency this November, and then gives the Democrats in Congress numerous ultimatums.

[Afronaut]

Perot turned out to be wrong about the source of the "giant sucking sound"...

I think you are dead wrong about that but that is another thread...

[A Citizen Reporter]

"I don't listen to Matt Drudge every Sunday night, but that guy will go down in history as a pioneer somewhere in the shadow of Gutenberg."

Hafta disagree with you there, Arne. Matt didn't invent the internet. It was already there, and many Americans discovered it with him. I do think that the internet is analogous to the printing press. I just would never give Matt the same status as Gutenberg.

[nuffsenuff]

That dude is just plain scary...

He really does look like Beavis from Beavis and Butthead.

He must have gotten teased to no end when he was a kid... Probably why he's a screw up.

[Fledermaus]

It was extremely intelligent because it discussed the issue instead of just calling other people names which is your MO.

I am looking at the proposals and debating and looking at reality while you just huff and call people idiots and post nothing but derogatory remarks to anyone that doesn't buy your rhetoric.

Which shows you can't possible debate the issue and probably shows you understand it even less. And as of yet, I haven't heard one idea you've moved forward on how to deal with the 8-12 million here illegally.

I suggest you can't, which again shows why you do nothing but call other posters names.

[tpaine]

Me? A basher of Bush? Get real.. I hardly ever mention the oaf.

But please, give us your special psycho insight on "thin ice".

[STARWISE]

MICHAEL BARONE

[Valentine_W]

"Bush's proposal is a blanket amnesty for the 8-12 million ILLEGALS who are here."

I am no fan of the USA Patriot Act, but do concede that this immigration proposal was a good compromise. I noticed that prior to the State of the Union address tonight, a lot of freepers seemed very keen on the idea of blanket amnesty, believing this to be the only viable option for President Bush--this was clearly not so.

Awarding law-breaking should never be a solution to a problem, especially one has serious as our poreous border and 10 million unregistered, illegal aliens in our country. The most convincing argument that I have seen thus far in favor of automatic citizenship, is that farmers out West need the cheap labor in order to obtain their profit and labor goals. This problem could very well be likely as easily solved by just giving legal alien status to those illegals and their families who can already show that they active employment and have no criminal history. This seemed to be the compromise the President presented us tonight and it's a balanced one at that, for it gives both sides of the debate a bit of what they want.

Being too lenient in a serious situation such as this, will only cause our borders to become more poreous and show the entire world that the United States is not serious about their border security or the War on Terror.

President Bush was not too lenient on this issue tonight.

[Brad’s Gramma]

I think that she just got married to a 28 year old aide.

Please tell me that was a joke. Please?!

[Jorge]

Feel like an idiot yet? You should.

Why should I? You falsely accuse Bush of offering BLANKET amnesty when Bush has repeatedly said he opposes blanket amnesty....and you think posting a Webster dictionary definition of amnesty makes you more of an expert on Bush's position than Bush himself?

Give me a major break.

I bet you were here posting the Bush was poisoning us all with arsenic in the water 2 years ago.
Go back to DU to find some more convincing smears against Bush.

[MEG33]

God bless.

[Ophiucus]

To counter judicial activism, the President advises that the legislative and Presidential branches of government avail themselves of the legal power they are endowed with to prevent one slate of judges in one state from imposing their view on all the other states.

Well, judges in Maine can't impose a view on Nevada. As to proponents becoming active in more states then defenders have to become more active in states and have state legislatures pass laws defining marriage in thier state.

A Constitutional Ammendment is a hackneyed attempt to impose one morality on all people through the power of the Federal government. This is a perversion of a the intent and importance of the Constitution.

Drinking was believed a social ill and gave us prohibition by Ammendment. An utter failure that also illustrated the dangers of the Federal government imposing social or moral views upon the citizens.