I thought the speech was excellent. I actually found myself clapping a few times, in my lonely little hovel here. George is sly. He sneaks up on a point and slides it through so smoothly.

Fighting HIV in Africa? Who can object?

Fighting madmen like Saddam Hussein? Who can object?

Well, other than Susan Sarandon.

It's so odd the mix of things I agree and disagree with on this site. I think I'll enjoy visiting here.

One other note--you're right about not hearing much new. If you've paid attention and even managed to read the Blix report, there wasn't anything new in his words at all. But the people that were watching with me, people who don't spend hours a day surfing political sites and blogs, seemed to be terribly shocked by some of the words.

Welcome aboard, Zombyboy. :-)

Fabulous site, Dean (I am linking you to my blog)!!! And the SOTU speech was WONDERFUL...the only thing I wish he had been a bit more forceful on was what to do about the borders. I recognize we need our troups in Iraq right now...that is the more immediate threat. But I live in a border state, and we are being OVERRUN, wholesale, with government standing right there ready to hand out whatever they can to the illegals that cross. And no one is checking them. Houston PD has a 'dont ask dont tell' policy when it comes to dealing with 'undocumented' workers. That Bush did not present a more concrete purpose of handling this in his speech has me troubled, but perhaps he is leaving it to Homeland Security? Still, something should have been done September 12, 2001.

Anyway, God Bless President George W. Bush and everyone who is working with him to move us forward!

For how the SOTU touched my life, see http://www.franceisoccupiedgermany.org/#29012003 "President's State of the Union Addresses Montags' Jeep"

"On TV Bush looked and sounded commanding and confident. On radio he sounded tired, if resolute."

I disagree with you here. I watched it all on TV, and partway through, I finally paid close attention to his face.

I recognized it, it's the face that I sometimes have shown (and have seen) in my life. It was the face of a man who is desperately tired -- tired unto death -- doing a huge task that MUST be done and is vitally important and all-consuming. Sleep? Ha! Sleep is a luxury that cannot be afforded. No sleep, no rest, until the job is accomplished.

I thought, this is the face of a man who has looked into the pit, and has seen what lives there, and has taken on the task of making sure that the evil does not get out and the pit must be capped.

The Lileks quote was on the money, and you are right that not many people seem to get it. The single most important thing about “regime change” in Afghanistan and now Iraq is the message it sends to other dictators in the Middle East. They have built careers around appeasing the Islamic militants in their own countries. They were smart to have done so. The militants at home were the REAL threat to their regimes, not the U.S.

The political landscape has changed. Now they see a U.S. that is ready, willing and able to remove them from power. More important they see a U.S. that will risk great sacrifice to get it done. (Remember what things looked like BEFORE the Afghan war. “The Russian’s Vietnam”, screamed a headline in the New York Times. “You Can’t Win” said another headline quoting a Russian general. Very smart pundits were speculating that the real purpose of 9/11 was to lure us into the quagmire of Afghanistan – just like the Russians.)

After all the hysteria the war was almost anticlimactic. It took a few months and we suffered minimal casualties. Now THAT’S what I call a camel’s head in the bed every other Arab leader. There is a part of me that hopes we invade Iraq without the U.N.s approval. It will intensify the message that the U.S. can’t be restrained.

Dictators throughout the Middle East are scared to death that militants from their respective countries will launch the next 9/11. They know if it happens they will be facing the U.S. military and a President who won’t be restrained by diplomats. That is why their intelligence agencies are cooperating with the U.S. in tracking down would-be terrorists. This is the real “connection” between Iraq and terror, even though President Bush can’t say it.

Did Bush contradict himself or what? I mean when he stated that they were setting up a coalition to take out Hussein. Hello, Bush... is that not the reason why you deployed 35,000 troops to prepare for war? I think that he is full of crap. I have no respect for those who cheat and lie their way into positions. But since he wanted the position so badly, he's had a headache everyday since he took office. When people like former President Clinton take office with honesty and with the people's approval of you, positive things happen. Wake up America, the terrorist and evil people did not try these stunts with Clinton. They knew how far to push him. Also, the economy was booming. You rarely heard of layoffs during the previous administration. To Bush, I have a quote that Shakespere used in the play Hamlet.... "TO THINE OWN SELF, BE TRUE." You will have more respect from people when you use this practice.

It mainly comes down to a power struggle between the world powers. It is in the best interest of the American people to remove the threat of a terrorist in power, why these liberal yuppies want to open themselves up to another attack has always been beyond me. I find it hard to believe that people can even begin to call former President Clinton an honest man. Only one adjective comes to mind, narcissistic. We all know what his response to terror attacks were, "I wish I had been President so I could have dealt with something like that." He's only trying to write himself in the history books as a president who actually accomplished something. In regards to the economy, every logical thinking person knows that Clinton only rode the high wave set up by those who preceeded them. If you look at his economic policy, true he encouraged Greenspan to loosen interest rates with the Federal Reserve; however, he only steadily, and in a clandestine manner, increased taxes. If anything at all, he is responsible for this slump that we are in. Finally, the Shakespearean quote that Deonna posted appears to be wisdom, but look at the character who gave that advice, Polonius, a self-righteous idiot, who was in the end only looking out for his own self interests. This is the kind of liberal crap that the liberal commies in power want the brainless proletariat to believe in order to repeatedly put them in power year after year.

Bush's maneuvering that you laud is based on lying. National politicians are reluctant to call presidents liars, and Bush is counting on that, leaving them silent. He has lied about his tax cuts, the deficit, homeland security, Iraq/al Queda connections, etc. His actions and words have diminished goodwill towards the US, thus hurting international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. He proposes to saddle the US gov't with evermore debt, like an impulsive child, again diminishing the US's capabilities. I like his refusal to demonize Arabs and Muslims, but other than that this president is proving to be a disaster. It is incredible to think how far we have fallen and continue to fall in just 2 short years. That is the real SOTU.

So if Bush sends 30000 troops to the gulf that means there is no coalition? I cant follow that logic what am I missing?

Deonna,

You may not like this president, but don't be blinded to facts with your own rage. When you say the terrorists never tried anything on Pres. Clinton's watch, you're overlooking the embassy bombings, the saudi bombings, the assassination attempt on ex-pres Bush, the USS Cole, the Millenium bombings that were thrwarted, and the first World Trade Center bombings, not to mention that the 9/11 terrorists were in this country planning their attack.

I'm not blaming Pres. Clinton, but come on, this terrorist threat has been building for a long time, and if you can't see that clearly, you really need to take a deep breath and try to think objectively.

I wasn't going to comment on Deonna's post, it was just too silly, but Will's comments reminded me of something I have been wanting to point out. It is something that never seems to get discussed. The first WTC bombing was, by admission of the perpetrators, an attempt to collapse the building. Had it been successful the death toll would have been several times higher than 9/11.

But hey, "terrorist and evil people did not try these stunts with Clinton."

First of all, I very much remember the previous bombings that the Al-Quada network was responsible for. What I am saying is that there has never been something so horrifying done to us on our own soil since Pearl Harbor. Now, I will give credit where credit is due. I did like the remarks that he made regarding Medicare and HMO reform. As an executive in the Insurance industry, that is one area that needs vast reform. If he does make good on his word regarding this issue, I may have some respect for him. On the other hand, to say that my comments are silly, are totally unfair. I can say what I feel, and just because I am not rooting for him, or saying that I agree with what he says, dose not make my feelings silly. No, I do not like him as a person nor do I have confidence in his leadership. As far as the coaliton remark he made, why even say something like that after, you have began sending troops over to prepare for war. Futhermore, I also feel that maybe 5% of his reasoning for this war is to rid the evil powers, and the other 95% is personal, to finish the war that his father started and could not finish. In regardis to Clinton, everyone wants to day that he's so dishonest just because he got a blow job by a well known whore. Name one president who has not had an extra-marital affair. I'll say this, If Bush can deliver the promises he made last night, not at the expense of the american people, then he will have my unequivcal support.

I must apologize for the few spelling errors on my comment. Before the comment is made that I cannot spell, there is a problem with my server, which is not allowing me to see the words while they are typed. Since, again, my comments have been labeled as "silly," I do want it to be known as a silly non-speller. Again, apologies for the errors.

in response to bush's being called a liar, ridiciulous, not to say i'll scruntinize with the rest of you democrats out there everything that comes from the horse's mouth, but still, to be so childish as to not accept something just because it came from someone you don't necessarily agree with is juvenile, to say that 95% of bush's reasoning behind this war on terror is finishing the war his father started has little merit, we defeated a fairly powerful army in the gulf and signed a treaty demanding disarming, it's a contract and this lunatic in power has decided to break this contract to attack who knows who or to sell these weapons to anyone, if anyone is in need of a good read, i recommend the sum of all fears, then tell me how you think of this, oh man, if only reagan were around again to show us the way to go, lead us back to a time when we were respected in the world community and paving the way for a period of relative peace, of course we can blame clinton for what happened, he was making cuts on our intelligence agencies and prosecuting intelligence agents for apparently unamerican activites, clinton allowed the fbi to get so incredibly inter twisted that people were stepping on their own toes after a while, how anyone could possibly say that this presidency has proven to be a disaster is incredible, i think a disasterous presidency could only have been accomplished by former vice president gore, a partisan who would have forced congressional interaction with the white house into a stallmate along party lines, the change in kabul alone is nothing short of utterly amazing, people have jobs and children are going to school, how anyone can say that these gains were a failure obviously has a skewed sense of reality, in spite of my unfeeling republican attitudes that i exhibit, i do sincerely hope that a palestinian state is created as a means to mollify the powder keg situation in that area, it will easily provide for american support in a region that is easily labeled anti-american and help to boost support for an invasion of iraq.

Who would have ever thought that the GOP would become the Party of the Hydrogen Car?

Who would have ever thought that the GOP would become the Party of the Hydrogen Car?

Heh. Where have you been? Folks like Gingrich and other techno-optimists in the GOP fold have been talking about things like this for years.

As far as the coaliton remark he made, why even say something like that after, you have began sending troops over to prepare for war.

Uhm, because the military buildup in that area includes troops from Australia, the United Kingdom, Italy, and other allies in our coalition?

Because we are basing the troops on the soil of other members of the coalition?

Maybe she thinks it isn't a coalition if US troops are included? :)

Hello, if they are sending troops to war, then clearly there is no need to form a coalition. We have already been told by Great Brittian that we have their support. Everyone else has already backed out. Learn to clearly read something and think about it before commenting.

>>Did Bush contradict himself or what? I mean when he stated that they were setting up a coalition to take out Hussein. Hello, Bush... is that not the reason why you deployed 35,000 troops to prepare for war? I think that he is full of crap.

Yes, he did Deonna. Saudi Arabia is lending support. Kuwait is lending usage of their expanded airfield. Czech Republic is now on board. Great Britain’s Tony Blair has been solidly behind us all the way. This makes a coalition. Were did you ever learn that there was no coalition?

>> I have no respect for those who cheat and lie their way into positions.

Deonna,

Then you obviously do not respect Al Gore, either. That is exactly what he attempted in 2000. By your standard, you cannot even respect William Clinton. You know how much he lied.

>> When people like former President Clinton take office with honesty and with the people's approval of you, positive things happen.

Deonna,

Maybe you were not living in the United States for the final eight years of the twentieth century; but Clinton did nothing honestly. He lied his ass off on the way to the White House and continued doing so for the next eight years. You can blame his success in two consecutive Presidential elections on Republicans who did not know how to campaign.

>>Wake up America, the terrorist and evil people did not try these stunts with Clinton.

Deonna,

Oh yes they did. Do you remember Kobar Towers? Do you remember Mogadishu? Do you remember the first Word Trade Center bombing? Clinton had no answer for any of these unprovoked attacks.

>> They knew how far to push him.

Deonna,

Yes they did. The terrorists knew Clinton would not do diddly.

>>Also, the economy was booming. You rarely heard of layoffs during the previous administration.

Deonna,

The American economy boomed from early in Reagan’s administration almost continuously right through Clinton’s administration. But then again, I never expect any liberal to remember history.

>>To Bush, I have a quote that Shakespere used in the play Hamlet.... "TO THINE OWN SELF, BE TRUE." You will have more respect from people when you use this practice.

Deonna,

More accurately: “Neither a beggar, nor a borrower nor a lender be. But most importantly of all to thine own self be true.” This bit of advice from Polonius more aptly fits the ever-narcissistic Clinton than the more mature George W. Bush. You also omitted the second “a” in Shakespeare.

>> Hello, if they are sending troops to war, then clearly there is no need to form a coalition. We have already been told by Great Brittian that we have their support. Everyone else has already backed out.

Deonna,

Do you not think that support from the Czech Republic, Poland, Kuwait, Israel, Spain, and Portugal is not a coalition? These nations may not support us militarily; but they can support us in our future war on terrorism of which Saddam Hussein is an integral player. They can lend intelligence, economic resources, police resources, etc. For all this, we DO need a coalition.

>> Learn to clearly read something and think about it before commenting.

Duhhhh. You also misspelled Great Britain. Can you spell s-p-e-l-l c-h-e-c-k-e-r?

Kevin,
Your smart, sarcastic remarks are only making me dislike you more. I apologize that everyone cannot be as perfect as you. Again, I will say exactly what I feel regardless if you like it or not. Furthermore, you need to learn how to read effectively. I already commented on the terrorist attacks that happened during the Clinton Administration. As far as Gore lying in 2000, he did not. He had every right to assure the vote was done fairly. I cannot think of one thing that Gore was caught being dishonest about, but about a dozen with Bush. It's people like yourself that are responsible for the caios going on. As far as Clinton is concerned, Again, he does not have to disclose his personal life, nor does he owe us any explaination. He is married to Hillary, not us. You act as though democrats are nothing but whiners, and dishonest. Well I have news for you, Most of us are not. Wake up. There will never be unity with attitudes like yours in the country.

F.Y.I. Kevin, I do know about spell check. Again, sorry I cannot be as perfect and as you! I am at my office, and I am also trying to do my work effectively. And I also apologize that you are taking anything that I say to heart. It sounds as if the fire is getting to hot for you. If we cannot debate what is going on with good, clean, fun, not insulting one another's intelligence, there really is no need to even participate. I came on to this chat because of my love for politics, not to be insulted for my opinions.

Deanna: The coalition already exists. It has existed for almost a year. There are still people joining it as we speak.

There are substantial good reasons for this coalition.

I cannot think of one thing that Gore was caught being dishonest about, but about a dozen with Bush.

There are a few examples of dishonest behavior on Gore's part during the 2000 recounts. Do you want to hear about it? I'll be happy to refer you to some information.

As with many things, the 2000 election had many disagreements on either side. Why we can't get over it and move on I do not know. But what we do know is that every single source that's gone over the 2000 election came to the same conclusion: even if Gore got everything counted the way he wanted, he still would have lost Florida. There was no cheating, despite the widespread myths.

Do we really need to rehash this stuff again? I have several responsible articles I can point you to.

Dean,
I totally agree with you. Let's just move on. Again, I hope that Bush can prove me wrong about him. If he does and runs again in 04, if no qualified democrat runs, he may have my vote.