Posted on 01/29/2003 9:08:19 PM PST by Pokey78
Edited on 04/23/2004 12:05:09 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Most of the sheeple avoid the SOTU address like the plaque.
The dems want Bush to fail... if he doesn't, they will portray him as a failure with the media's backing.
You are dealing with arrogant, effite people who would gladly toss away the 1st and 2nd Ammendments.
Meanwhile, the stupes(most voters) watch American Idol, Survivor and Donahue.
Mr. Bush's speech was a departure in this regard. It didn't have "good lines," it had thoughts. The thoughts were pithily, and sometimes memorably, expressed. They didn't seem artificially sprinkled in. They arose from the text, were woven into it, and organic to it. And so they didn't seem showy and insubstantial, they seemed like real thoughts that had a particular weight. This is oratory of the post-soundbite era, and it's a step forward.The liberty line sounded not like a soundbite, but like something out of a speech by Adams, or Lincoln, or Taft, or Goldwater. It was a meaningful line, but not a soundbite.
The scary part is that Dubya's wordsmiths may be even more skilled.
That sounds flip, but I really did :-)
Well, I can't argue that most do. However, Fox reported last night that more than 67 million Americans did watch, and that it was the highest figure in 10 years or so.
I would guess that a lot of fence-sitters must have been watching, since the poll numbers took such a dramatic bump. In fact, the bump was so large, I don't think it can be solely attributed to the typical bump a President enjoys after the SOTU. The President changed some minds.
It comes across as being so integral to the way he thinks that it appears he is doing the details as second nature without having to think about the political benefits of them.
But the "dumbfounded" tone of Juan's voice/reaction stopped me in my tracks -- I was listening to the after-speech commentary with "half an ear" but when I heard him , I thought, "Whoa! -- Juan has had an "ah-ha moment" (epiphany??) and he is really having trouble dealing with it -- he doesn't WANT to like Pres. Bush, but he can't help being drawn to his compassion" -- This, combined with the tale he told a while ago, of being temporarilly ostracized for not "toeing the liberal line", may be enough to start him down the "right" road...baby steps...baby steps...
Like you, I was struck by Williams' response. It was surprising, but it seemed genuine. The program to help children of prisoners seemed to have been the one that "saled the deal" with him.My thoughts at the time were a.) why would such a penny ante initiative, of such questionable real value, evoke such a positive response? and b.) of course, conservatives are compassionate, you ninny, what took you so long?
When I saw/heard his reaction, it reminded me of the school teacher in Florida.....on 9/11.....who right then and there changed her mind about Bush. She saw his genuine concern for the children in her classroom (as writes Bill Sammon in his book Fighting Back), for the President's concern for her own personal disappointment that he would have to cut short this long-looked-forward to day, for the Administration, as well. She then believed that Bush wasn't phony....he was real and he really did care about other people....quite a touching story to read.
And this goes with what you said; Bush is accomplishing the "winning of people over," one by one, one on one.
Hmmm, interesting number that 10 years. Anybody think the lack of viewers during the majority that time had something to due with Clinton giving all those SOTU speeches? :)
I'm surprised. Bush has bent over backwards to the dems and gets kicked in the grill everytime.
Mabee America is sick of pukes like Daschle, Pelosi and Kennedy... mabee their just skeered.
TontoKowalski, most of our electorate is stupid. That's why Gore won the popular vote in 2000.
Let's not jump to any wrongheaded conclusions, when it comes to actual historical accomplishments of the current administration. After all, Mr.Bush has been POTUS for only two years. So far, the President is doing a good job for America and he has the support of most American's. It has been a positive start and coming on the heels of the immoral Clinton years, the future looks bright and promising for Bush43. We all should be very proud of our President. However, PresBush has a long way to go, before he is deserving of entering the ranks of great presidential leaders, like Ronald Reagan.
I don't see Bushes short term accomplishments, matching what Reagan achieved in his eight years in office, such as ending the Cold War, true tax reform, deregulation and rebuilding America's military.
A little less irrational exuberance is in order.
As I already mentioned, Reagan's achievements, in winning the Cold War, getting true tax reform passed into law, economic deregulation and rebuilding America's military are historical facts. PresBush43, has a long way to go in matching those achievements and he would be thr first to admit it. The fact is, PresBush is using the Reagan Presidency, as a model for his own Presidencial administration.
The fact you see Bush as exceeding Reagan, is an opinion that is out of touch with reality.
If we who claim to be believers in God are not praying for this leader and for all those working with him for the cause of freedom, we are beyond reprehensible. We can do nothing more powerful for our President than to pray for him - in faith, with Thanksgiving and Praise to God who once again has brought HIS MAN into high office in this country at just the right time.
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