State of Disunion: Republicans Beat Up on Bush After Speech

Jan. 24, 2007 — Dozens of Republican leaders joined Democrats in taking aim at President Bush's State of the Union address last night.
Facing a split within his own party and sagging approval ratings over Iraq, the president faced a major challenge: to win over the American public and to win back the support of prominent Republicans, who oppose his strategy for Iraq.
In Bush's 50-minute speech, he implored Congress to back his plan to send more troops: "Give it a chance to work."
But over the next two hours, a bipartisan group assailed his policies. Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Arlen Specter both attacked the president's plan for a troop buildup.
"To put more American personnel in harm's way without a realistic chance for success is something I'm not in favor of," said Specter. And Snowe, who has signed on with Sens.Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Joe Biden (D-Del.) and Carl Levin (D-Mich.) in a resolution opposing the surge, said, "I continue to believe that adding additional troops does not address the root causes of violence in Iraq."
The speech didn't sway Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), who said that he remains opposed to the troop increase. "It hasn't changed by mind," Brownback said. "I think we have to have a bipartisan buy-in on the war in Iraq."
And Virginia Republican John Warner, a powerful member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who opposes the surge but is against Hagel's nonbinding resolution, was more complimentary of Democratic Sen. Jim Webb's response than he was of Bush's speech.
After praising Bush for his "gracious" introduction of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Warned added that Webb's "heartfelt" message "earned the respect of military families across America.
In his speech, Bush made an impassioned effort to revive his presidency by offering proposals to extend health insurance coverage and to cut gasoline consumption.
And he pushed his immigration program, which failed in the face of Republican opposition last year.
But even those proposals were criticized by numerous Republicans.
On health care, Larry Craig (R-Idaho) said Bush's plan "moves us in the right direction." But he worries about how the plan would treat employers' contributions toward health insurance as taxable income.
"Unfortunately, the accompanying tax increase will be impossible to swallow," he said.
As for energy, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) called it a "a good start" but said "much more can be done," adding that he wants Bush to tap Utah's geothermal energy sources.
And New Mexico Republican Sen. Pete Domenici was disappointed in the president's plan, saying, "I have been troubled by the administration's tepid commitment to loan guarantee programs that will provide the support needed to deploy biomass, solar, clean coal and nuclear energy."
And regarding the troop surge in Iraq, some of the president's supporters —
such as Republican Sen. Pat Roberts — were concerned that these domestic proposals would not survive the bipartisan skepticism of Bush's policies.


"What remains to be seen is whether any of the president's domestic agenda, no matter how worthy, can get off the ground without greater public and congressional support," said Roberts.


Among the president's supporters were Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has become one of Bush's biggest cheerleaders since their vicious battled during the 2000 presidential primary.


In language that almost mirrored Bush's speech, McCain told ABC News' Charles Gibson that the president's strategy "ought to be given a chance." Another ally was independent Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who challenged Congress to respond to Bush's domestic ideas. "Whether the issue is energy independence, immigration, health care, education, global warming or the war in Iraq, I would hope that this Congress would put progress before partisanship," he said.




http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2818145&page=2
The Associated Press contributed to this story

Is that why Whizzle is MIA? Did he go nuts?

I haven't watched a State of the Union address in years. They bore me with all the posturing that goes on.

Dubs is a sucky speaker, I rarely watch him on the T.V.

I'm currently in Colorado, and that damn speech came on when American Idol starts. AI comes on at 7pm in Colorado. Anyway, I was ticked off, and didn't want to watch GWB speak. He's a talking monkey. My brother was like... "Don't you want to know how your health benefits will be affected in the new few years?" I told him that there was NOTHING that Bush could say, minus that he was stepping down from the Presidency, that would make me willing. SO, I skipped it.

It's nice to see that it's just not the Dems that are serious about stopping the 21k soldiers from being sent over to war.

Whidden wrote:

Dubs is a sucky speaker, I rarely watch him on the T.V.


8)

He's a HORRIBLE speaker. I miss Clinton. That man was brilliant when he was giving speaches. I think that more people would be willing to listen to Bush, and his "ideas" for the US, and the world, if he didn't sound like some back woods ignorant monkey on a string when talking.

My man Dubs looks like a Doe caught in the headlights. Poor fella.

He does... and I don't understand that. If you're in politics... esp as the President of the US, you SHOULD be able to do public speaking.

I remember taking a speech class, in college, and I loved it. I loved to talk about things that I was passionate about, and have everyone's attention for that time. And, I enjoyed listening to others.

If we have a President who seems confidant, and can truly give a good speech, no matter what side of the political line I'm on, I can enjoy what they have to say. For me, there has been no one like Clinton. He was just really captivating while giving a speech.

I get severe stage fright, I can't give a speach to save my life...

And that's okay... but, not if you were going to be the President. I don't get how you can be in politics, and not be able to give a speech. Bush isn't scared, he's just an idiot.

Clinton was a fantastic speaker. I remember when he came here and gave a speech in the neighboring town and I went to listen to him. I was just a kid, but I can still remember that he was really really good.

I watched part of The State of the Union Address last night but was so bored by the same old speech that I left the room.

Whidden wrote:

I get severe stage fright, I can't give a speach to save my life...

So our hair's like the same colour, we look sort-kinda alike, and we both suffer from servere stage fright.







Doppelgänger!!!!!!


Sucks about Bush. Sometimes I feel sorry for the fellow. Then I remember who he is.

Clinton came to San Diego a few times, and I had an opportunity to goto one of the schools he was speaking at, and I passed it up. I could have kicked myself in the back side for that!!!

Anyway... Bush is a horrible speaker, and we all know it.
Unfortunately, for him, giving these speeches, and boring the US to death, isn't helping him, at all. His ratings drop each time he speaks, pubically.

Quote :

So our hair's like the same colour, we look sort-kinda alike, and we both suffer from servere stage fright.







Doppelgänger!!!!!!

They say if you meet your own Doppelganger, that the universe will implode. Right after you go insane.

I love public speaking, giving toasts, it rules. And my hair is brown. I am your guys bizzaro doppelganger.

-HECK!

Ohhhh that's why Kris chatted to me! lol.

I do not miss Clinton at all. ewwwwwwwwwww...


I didn't know about this speech until this morning so.. can't offer much heh :p

HECK! wrote:

I love public speaking, giving toasts, it rules.

I was best man at my sister's wedding; I gave a speech, and it was shit hot - funny as hell. Joke after joke after joke, nobody knew what hit them. I mean that literally, cause nobody else found it funny. My parents' neighbour, Ray, told me afterwards that he found it hysterical - he always finds me funny - but he was too scared to laugh because the room was so quiet.

Good thing he didn't; if you're making jokes and one dude just busts out laughing, it kind of makes the whole thing a lot worse.


What was I supposed to be talking about again? Busch? Not a bad beer.

Haha, always keep on going with the joke. If you're crashing and burning make sure you go down in a blaze of glory.

If I find something funny I'll be that only guy cracking up. Funny is funny. For instance, the lady and I went and saw that movie Eurotrip in the theater a while back. There were about 7 other couples in the whole place. The scene where that dog has that hand in his mouth made me crack up bad. Not only was I the only one laughing in the theater, I was howling. I mean I was just busting a gut. People are turning around and starting to laugh at me laughing. I carry on to a slow giggle until that scene where the hotel guy slaps his boss and I just lose it and start cracking up again. People in the theater are laughing at me know and my girl is about halfway down her seat trying to hide. I was crying. Short story long, I am no stranger to being heard for better or worse.

I had to give the best man speech at my buddies wedding too. I was so drunk I don't remember if it well or not. Then we made one of the brides maids to a keg stand. It was glorious.

-HECK!