The President’s Final Days

Last night, I was at the Courier News watching the President's final State of the Union Address. I was part of their panel watching the president, along with several other Central Jersey residents. Amongst them were one or two supporters of the Iraq War, still spewing the tired rhetoric of “we have to fight them there, so we don’t have to fight them here” and how it does not matter whether there were weapons of mass destruction of not, and “my nephew volunteered to be over there”, and we have to stay there for him.

Well, America has lots of nephews, nieces, sons, daughters, uncles and aunts in Iraq. And America overwhelming wants them home.

Random thoughts on the State of the Union:

By the way, the Secretary of the Interior was not at the State of the Union. He's was home watching the whole thing on TV, "carrying the football" in case of a national emergency. Nothing happened, by the way. We’re all OK.

All members of the Cabinet appeared to wearing the same ties. Maybe they get a bulk discount, when they buy at the White House gift shop. Cheney: Red tie. Bush: Blue tie. Guess they figured that all out inn advance. President gets first pick of colors. Bush began to speak at 9:11pm. Wander if that was choreographed?

He did have a funny line about the IRS taking checks and money orders. He smirked. The Democrats did not laugh, though.

He promised a balanced budget: "Families must balance budgets, so do governments." Of course, this is from a man who has OK'd spending 2 billion a month on a war that has put the nation in deep debt. How ironic. Big smirk on Cheney's face at this point.

Rhetoric from a lame duck with low approval ratings. He leaves a legacy of failure, lack of accomplishments, and Republicans running from him around the country. And he still cannot say “nuclear” correctly.

This was certainly one of the most shallow, cliché-filled State of the Union messages I have ever heard. Well, this was certainly not the same Bush who said [using the Cowboy attitude] "Bring'em On". He looks tied, beleaguered, and worn. He should have been impeached. Our bad.

He is almost no longer the President. Just a few more months to 1.20.09.

It was fun watching with other folks from central Jersey. Almost like the way democracy should be.