SOTU 1/23/07

Bush's State of the Union? A decidely muted and sombre tone from the Prez, but pretty much we heard more of the same. The only high point was him giving a shout out to Americans who've shown courage, entrepreneurship, and bravery in the face of adversity, including Wesley Autrey, the Harlem man who risked his life to save another man on the NY Subway.

Everything else? I've heard it many times before from his mouth.

But how about Jim Webb giving the Democratic response, eh?

We owed them our loyalty, as Americans, and we gave it. But they owed us sound judgment, clear thinking, concern for our welfare, a guarantee that the threat to our country was equal to the price we might be called upon to pay in defending it.

The President took us into this war recklessly. He disregarded warnings from the national security adviser during the first Gulf War, the chief of staff of the army, two former commanding generals of the Central Command, whose jurisdiction includes Iraq, the director of operations on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and many, many others with great integrity and long experience in national security affairs. We are now, as a nation, held hostage to the predictable — and predicted — disarray that has followed. [...]
As I look at Iraq, I recall the words of former general and soon-to-be President Dwight Eisenhower during the dark days of the Korean War, which had fallen into a bloody stalemate. "When comes the end?" asked the General who had commanded our forces in Europe during World War Two. And as soon as he became President, he brought the Korean War to an end.

These Presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this President to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way.

I fucking hope so, because it's about time.

Also, props to Jim Webb mentioning New Orleans and the victims of Hurricane Katrina - a point which was glaringly absent from the Preznit's address.

Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), in response to Webb's address offered up the same, tired old argument, saying that those who supported the non-binding resolution sent a signal to the enemy that we're weak, that we're giving comfort to the enemy, yadda yadda.

Seems like you've also lost your way, Mr. Graham. Don't worry. We'll show you how to get back on the right path.


UPDATE: I gotta hand it to Think Progress for systematically debunking Bush's talking points from tonight's SOTU. Great job.