Richard Whalen

In all its traditional pomp and formal ceremony, the President’s annual State of the Union address is an anachronism we cherish. The President reviews the vast expanse of the federal establishment and global commitments at a breathless pace, repeatedly interrupted by applause, that is relentlessly upbeat and politically correct.

I would have to do a line by line comparison, but it seems to this old presidential speech writer that Bush has given this same speech seven times before. And in this seventh and final State of the Union address, Bush had an opportunity to outline his legacy and, in the process, possibly raise his poll ratings and help decrease some of his Administration’s negatives that the present Republican presidential candidates are trying to duck.

He spent a good deal of time speaking about the “surge” strategy in Iraq and how it had succeeded and the audience cheered. The greater threat that I have warned about was not mentioned by Bush -- that al Qaeda has shifted from the main front of Iraq to Pakistan and has escalated its offensive there. Bush did say Iraq is only one battleground in a regional conflict in which the U.S. and our Sunni Muslim allies are just beginning to make progress, adding that Iraq is years away from being capable of surviving in freedom on its own. Read: it was certainly very clear again that Iraq will be left to his successor and his war will not be “over” any time soon.

Bush also tentatively promised to bring home 20,000 U.S. troops from Iraq in this election year, leaving 140,000 there and announced 3,200 Marines would be sent to Afghanistan, taking the role there that NATO has rejected. Then he addressed Iran directly: “We will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf.” (That has been the basic aim of U.S. policy and strategy since the Eisenhower Administration.) He softened that by expressing hope for democracy in Iran but his early posturing and rhetoric were gone.

Bush highlighted the massive, unfinished business of ensuring the financial future of Social Security and Medicare and of course gave highest priority to the prompt enactment of the $150 billion stimulus package. (The House yesterday overwhelmingly approved a $146 billion economic stimulus package that would provide rebate checks to taxpayers. The measure now goes to the Senate, where some Democrats want to amend it to add more benefits.)

He pledged more resources to secure the U.S. borders and asked for a sensible and humane way to employ migrant workers and simultaneously uphold our laws and highest ideals governing our nation.

Line by line through the speech, Bush laid out his agenda that Congress will largely ignore in this 2008 election year. He asked for more of everything but did not request any new taxes or sacrifices, only more borrowing to support our accustomed way of governing everything but our appetites.

The State of the Union is a bipartisan incumbent’s rally of the permanent Congressional government, a celebration of itself by America’s legislative ruling class. Bush’s address was muted and understated; he avoided too much notice of what he greatly fears – the grave uncertainties of the faltering economy.

The applause fell on his failures and false hopes as well as his few achievements, including the belated beginnings of the long-deferred Mideast peace process. Perhaps this State of the Union sounded the same as the other seven because this man still does not have a clue what he has wrought upon this nation both internationally and economically.

Bush sought to show he’s still relevant – somehow, but he failed.