I have to admit, that Ted Kennedy was annoying. I think it was wise of the Dem Presidential candidates to skip the SotU or else it would have been their mugs up on the screen instead, and it would have been a no-win situation for them. In regards to the speech itself, I was not complaining about what President Bush said, it was how it was said and the way it was put together. He has put together a very good speech writing team, and I think they missed the boat on this one. Now, I realize that this speech was not targeted at me, but at his base consituency but I still think he was flat.

Also, Ustwo, I am not a socialist, I am a big fan of capitalism just like most Democrats and Republicans. I refrain from calling you a Fascist, please don't call me a socialist. (I am not really upset by this, I just think it would be more civil. :))

Actually, the abstinence idea is a good thing...Maybe GWB's parents should have practiced abstinence...

oh well, can't have everything.

All joking aside, the more i think about it, the more aggravated i get at some points. Seriously, this was the most rambling i've ever seen...especially the steroid use...I mean, Sure, by default, pro athletes become "role models" for children, but only if their parents don't provide an alternative or don't help their children understand. Heck, if i were that rich and played pro sports, i'd probably be drinking and partying and doing whatever with whomever as well. I mean, pro athlete or not, it's a job, sure you're in the public eye, but unlike politicians, no one says you have to give up your private life and no one says you have to live like a saint. Sure, i'd respect them more if they did, but if these were my (hypothetical) children's role models, i'd have to find a better choice for them or at least temper how they view him/her.
but that's a whole other debate against pro sports...
errg

And yea, his speech was the most rambling i've ever heard. Not to mention, he or his speechwriters really missed the boat...i dunno, it just sounded like a "oops, i have to write this paper for class by tomorrow" type paper.. He had his main points, but the transitions weren't the best and his actual message could have been...ok, should have been much better.

This speech was a brilliant tactic to start is campaign.
1. a president can make the SotU speech at any time he feels. Do you think it was coincidence that he did a day after the friggin first caucus.
2. the steroid thing, as i know look back on it, was just a ploy to try and figure out how they could cast a camera on Tom Brady. hello, whats next week....the New england primary....Bushys gettting some votes there.
3. Did you notice how he tied all the WMD, terrorist, 9/11, IRAQ war, Al Quada, afghanistan stuff all into one neat little package? The speech was written so that it transitioned from 1 of the points to another making it look like its all connected. HE is still trying to sell this damn war to the public.
it goes on and on....

So smooth, so rico suave....and those smirks.

just my 2 sence.

mr b

I thought it was WMD, Al Quada, terrorism, Al Quada, Iraq, WMD, Al Quada, Afganistan, Al Quada, Al Quada, Wmd...

G dub and Rummy are having a smirking contest, smuggest person wins the right to throw an un-announced party in you know who's "undisclosed location"

Oh
and don't forget
one line for energy conservation, reducing dependence on foreign oil and ...somethign else i forgot and can't find the transcripts again, but 1 freaking line for something we REALLY need to worry about that he won't bc he's too tied to the oil businesses

Not to get too far off subject, but since we brought up those smirks of his...They drive me nuts. My wife, actually cannot watch him speak because of them - they send her into fits. I never thought any president would have a worse facial expression than Clinton's pouting lower lip as he "felt our pain", but Bush's smarmy smirks are (IMO) even worse.

I agree with Paq, that one line on oil dependence is absolutely ludicrous, its even worse than last year's promise of a whopping one million dollars to new energy research... this year he didn't even quote a figure. Also, something that didn't come up was bushe's proposed medical plan, which is also a bunch of hogwash. Granted this is off a liberal site, but the video does make some good points if you read into his plan (the video link is on the right):

bush's medical plan


Anyway, most of my friends in college knew beforehand that the speech would be painful, so they tried the SOTU drinking game... drink every time bush lies or says something a little off (like the steroids) Luckily we were then able to sit through the speech