Free Republic

New numbers from the Office of Strategic Initiatives show overwhelming support for President Bush and say that 76 percent rated the speech favorably, and 70 percent say the policies outlined in the speech will move the nation in the right direction, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. But Bush has Americans’ favor all the way around: 69% express satisfaction with their financial situation (NBC/WSJ) 68% approve of Bush’s handling of terrorism (NYT) 64% rate Bush as a strong leader (CBS/NYT) 59% say Bush cares about their needs and problems (CBS/NYT) 58% say the Bush Administration has made progress on the...

President Bush, wrapping the themes of his re-election campaign in an upbeat State of the Union address, planned to say tonight that America is still a nation at war and must not "falter and leave our work unfinished." Bush said he was optimistic about the reviving economy and urged Congress to take steps to make sure the recovery lasts. "We must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy," the president said. Excerpts of his address were released in advance by the White House. "America this evening is a nation called to...

President Bush seizes the limelight - and an hour of live, national television - from Democrats tonight in a well-timed State of the Union address meant to mute any political bounce his rivals take from the Iowa caucuses. Bush intends to use his annual speech to Congress as a road map for his re-election, framing the debate in national security language while laying out an aggressive domestic agenda. After a year of being under constant attack from Democrats, GOP operatives say it's time Bush drives his stake into the campaign trail. ``He needs to communicate to the country that he...

President George W. Bush's State of the Union address is a speech by committee -- and sometimes the committee gets too large. The annual speech was the result of a months-long process of sifting through various ideas and deciding which ones to emphasize. And now that it is in its final stages, with Bush to deliver the address on Tuesday night, Bush's top aides have been trying to fend off officials from various agencies who want their favorite project mentioned. "It's pretty prized real estate, the State of the Union," said a senior Bush aide. "I don't know how many...